The Order Reads Harry Potter and The Philosophers
by nix54
Summary: A repost of my Original Order and Weasleys read the books. Let's hope it doesn't get deleted this time! :
1. The Boy Who Lived

_**Back from my very long break. Had (and have) some serious issues going on, so haven't had a chance to do this till now.**_

_**Repost of my originals, and (provided that no one reports me again) more to come.**_

_**I'm also going to make this very clear...**_

_**I IN NO WAY OWN HARRY POTTER, IT'S PLOT, THEMES, OR CHARACTERS. JOANNE ROWLING DOES AND SHE IS A LEGEND FOR CREATING THEM!**_

_**The books were published by Bloomsbury here in the UK and Arthur A. Levine Books in the US. (I dunno about the rest of the world.)**_

_**Rowling has also stated that she likes and encourages Fanfiction writers (which makes her even more a legend!) **_

_**Anything in bold therefore does not belong to me! (I will also not keep writing this out (unless people don't grasp this and therefore annoy me)**_

_**Right, now that that's done...**_

* * *

Professor Dumbledore quickly made his way from his office to the Room of Requirement. It was the middle of the summer holidays, so no students were to be found within the castle. As he walked through the castle, he noticed the air of peace and contentment that still resided within Hogwarts.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the outside world. The war was raging on outside these walls, with more death, torture, and disappearances everyday.

Stopping across for the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, he paced in front of the wall three times, and a magnificent door appeared. Opening the door, he was met with a large amount of noise. In the room, there were a number of people. Sitting at a large table was James and Lily Potter, who was holding baby Harry on her knee. Next to Lily sat Alice Longbottom, with baby Neville in her arms, and Frank sat beside her. Next to James, was Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. On Remus' other side was Emmaline Vance, Sturgis Podmore and Dorcas Meadowes. Opposite James and Sirius were twins Gideon and Fabian Prewett. On Fabian's left side was Marlene Mckinnon, Dedalus Diggle, Edgar Bones, Elphias Doge, and Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Next to Gideon, sat Benji Fenwick, Alastor Moody, and Professor McGonagall. At the head of the table Albus Dumbledore sat down. Opposite him, because there was nowhere else with enough room Hagrid sat.

"Alright, settle down." He called, and James, Sirius, Remus, Fabian and Gideon, all turned to him looking sheepish. "Are we ready for the meeting?"

"Looks like" replied Moody, "But where's Pettigrew?"

"Wormy said to apologise, but he's had to stay and take care of his mother, apparently she's come down with something nasty." said Remus.

"All right. Well first, I'd like to..." but Dumbledore stopped short as there was a large purple flash of light, and in the centre of the table were seven books piled one on top of another.

Quick as a flash, everyone had the wands out and pointed at the books. Atop the books the was a letter, addressed to the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore waved his wand over the books and letter, checking for any dark intent. When none was found, he opened the letter and read aloud:

"Dear Order of the Phoenix.

We have sent back seven books for you to read in order for them to help in the war effort. Before you ask, yes, they are from the future, as are we. We know that altering time is against the law, and fairly drastic, but we felt we had no other choice. The future isn't all bad, the war is over, but we lost so many good people, and so many families were torn apart, and it is weighing down on everybody so much, that we felt if we had the information we needed sooner, so much could have been saved. At the end of the books, you can decide what you want to do, you can remember what you have learned and change the future, or you can erase your memories, and let history take its course. It's up to you.

Now Sirius, yes I have isolated you for a reason, remember when the time comes what is important to you, and who you really are. And everyone else (Moody), no going all jinx happy when that time comes as well. Remember, not all is as it seems, and we have chosen who is in this room for a reason.

We also want you to get the Weasley family as well. They play an important role in the story. You also MUST NOT invite Pettigrew, or inform him in any way. If you do the books will disappear. There is a good reason for this, as will come apparent.

We hope you will be able to make a good decision with these books, because the future is (literally) in your hands

Love

The Golden Trio"

Dumbledore looked up at the shocked faces around him. Gideon spoke up first "Should we go get Molly and her family then?" gesturing to his brother and himself.

"That would be for the best, I believe" Dumbledore replied.

As they left, James asked, "Why aren't we allowed to tell Pete about this? He's a member of the Order too. Shouldn't he have the right to know as well?"

"As to that, I am unsure James. The "Golden Trio" wrote that it would become obvious when we read on. It may be something happens that he should not know of, but only time will tell"

"Who is this "Golden Trio" anyways?" questioned Remus.

"Alas, I do not know. We can presume they are from the future, but we may find out by reading."

For half an hour, questions went around the room, but nobody was able to find any answers. The questioning only stopped when Fabian and Gideon returned with nine other redheads. They had explained to Molly and Arthur what was going on, so they came in and sat down expectantly.

The adults decided it would be best if most of the children were left to play whilst reading these books. Lily conjured a large playpen and placed Harry in it along with Neville, Ron, Fred and George, and Percy.

Bill and Charlie sat either side of their parents, and Molly held newborn Ginny in her arms.

"Shall we begin then?" asked Dumbledore. When everyone nodded affirmatively, he asked "Does anyone mind if I read first?" Nobody did, and he began,

"**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"**

"Wait, what?! These books are about our Harry?" exclaimed Lily

"Yes it would appear so, and we won't know more if we can read on without being interrupted." replied McGonagall.

"Sorry" said Lily, looking sheepish.

"**CHAPTER ONE**

**THE BOY WHO LIVED"**

"Who's that?" asked a number of people.

"We won't find out unless we keep reading will we?" asked Moody, glaring at them. "Keep reading Albus"

"**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley," **

"That's my sister and her husband"

"What are they doing in a book about your son?" asked Marlene. Lily shrugged, and gestured for Dumbledore to keep reading.

"**of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense."**

"What joy. Who wants to be normal? Strange and mysterious is so much more fun!" said Fabian

"**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**

"What's a drill?" asked Arthur, excitedly.

"It's a muggle tool, used for putting holes into things so you can build things" said Sirius. Looking at everyone's astonished faces, he explained "What? I took muggle studies."

"And paid attention?" asked James, laughingly.

"Of course, the whole point was to piss off my mother, I couldn't do that if I didn't remember anything."

"**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors."**

"They sound delightful" said Fabian sarcastically.

"**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere."**

"Who wants to bet that kid's a total brat?" asked Edgar. He sighed when nobody responded, other than the glaring he was receiving from McGonagall and Moody, who were getting sick of the interruptions.

"**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters."**

"What's wrong with the Potters? We're awesome" exclaimed James.

"Yeah, they're fantastic!" said Sirius sincerely

"**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,"**

"That's not nice. You shouldn't treat family like that." said Molly, to general agreement.

"It's okay, Molly. Tuney has always been jealous of me because I'm a witch and she's not. We used to be so close." Lily said sadly. James put her arm around her, and asked Dumbledore to continue

"**because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be."**

"And we're proud of that!" shouted James, but then quailed under the glares McGonagall and Moody were giving him, whilst everyone else snickered.

"**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

"A child like what exactly?!" whispered Lily, as her eyes flashed dangerously.

"**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work"**

"Why his most boring tie?" Charlie asked.

"'Cause they're boring people" Bill replied, much to the amusement of the adults in the room.

"**and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window."**

"Unobservant much?" said Sirius.

"**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Brat"

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**"It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map."**

"What are you doing there Professor?" asked James

"How do you know it's me?" she asked wearily. She was getting quite tired of these interruptions.

"Just do" he replied.

"Oh yeah? A galleon says it's not her" challenged Fabian.

"You're on" James says smiling

"Any other takers?" Fabian asked

"I think it's McGonagall" said Sirius

"Me too" said Remus

"I don't" said Marlene

"Me neither" said Frank

"I do" Said Gideon

"I don't think it's her" said Dedalus

"Alright can we get on with it?" growled Moody.

"Okay, okay" replied Fabian

" **For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks." **

"What! Why are people being so careless!" exclaimed Alice

"I don't know, but something big must have happened." Said Remus

"**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something... yes, that would be it."**

"Wow, muggles really can talk themselves out of noticing magic"

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

"One track mind, clearly" Gideon sniggered

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. **

"What is going on?" asked Emmaline, curiously, but no one had an answer.

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

"Wow, now that's a healthy lunch" said Sturgis

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard..."**

Lily and James glanced at each other fearfully.

"What did you guys do?" ask Frank

"**Yes, their son, Harry"**

"What about him?" questioned James

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

"Coward" said Sirius

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid.**

"Really, only just figured that out have you?" said Gideon.

"Don't worry, admittance is the first stage to recovery" said Fabian. The Marauders were sniggering at their antics.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. **

"It is in the wizarding world" James sang

**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. **

"How can you not know your own nephew's name?" exclaimed Alice.

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted**

"He knows how to say sorry?!" Sirius cried

**as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

"Wow!" was gasped through the room.

"It's no wonder everyone's gone crazy" said McGonagall, "But to go around saying things like that to muggles is downright stupid"

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle **

"His arms fit?!" said Remus

**and walked off. Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"No imagination!" cried James

"What is the world coming to?" replied Sirius

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

"McGonagall" James said in a sing song voice

"S'not" said Fabian

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. **

"Now, I know no other cats (or people) that can give off the McGonagall glare of doom" said Sirius

"Excuse me!" said Mcgonagall

"Well, you know how many times we've seen that look in detention. That's what the entire student populace has christened it" responded Sirius cheerfully, with much nodding from the other pranksters in the room.

"Of course" McGonagall said dryly.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't!"). **

"That's not a good word to be teaching your son" exclaimed Molly

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin."Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

"And he's putting the pieces together" said Arthur

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. **

**"Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

"Nice"

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her lot."**

"Her lot?! Can't even say witches and wizards" said Aberforth angrily

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"No it's not, it's a lovely name" said Lily

"Much better than Dudley anyway" said James

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...**

"Oh no. Doesn't he know you should never say, or even think that." Said Benji

**How very wrong he was.**

"See?!"

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"Only McGonagall has that kind of patience"

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"No kidding!"

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. **

"I think he does know, he just doesn't care" said Sirius

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Cool"

**He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"Ha! Cough up!" Said Sirius, and they did grumblingly.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

"No one forced you to." said Fabian

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

"Hey!" cried Dedalus

"I'm sorry." Replied McGonagall

"Alright" he grumbled

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"That means this is going to be later this year" said Moody

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day YouKnow-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

" A what?"

**"A what?"**

"Spooky"

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

"You and your sweets" McGonagall muttered

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." **

Dumbledore, Frank, Alice, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Fabian, and Gideon were the only ones who didn't flinch at the name.

"Come on people, it's just a name" Sirius exclaimed

Most ignored him.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.**

**"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"Only 'cause you're too noble to use them" said James

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

"That's really weird. I guess you are more like McGonagall than we thought, James" said Remus

"No! Don't go over to the dark side" cried Sirius

"I'll try mate" laughed James

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"More than we really needed to know there Professor." Said Elphias

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

"What? What was it?!"

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow.**

James and Lily looked at each other nervously.

**He went to find the Potters.**

Everyone looked at the book fearfully

**The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. "**

"No!" was heard throughout the room. Lily buried her head in James' chest, and began to cry softly. The women in the room had tears streaming down their faces, and the men all looked grave. Remus and Sirius looked at each other with the same anguished and outraged look upon their faces.

"We'll stop this. We'll change this, guys" Remus said. Lily and James nodded and motioned to continue on.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it... Oh, Albus..."**

"Never knew you cared that much Professor" chuckled James softly.

"Of course I do. You lot may have driven me insane, but I still like you. Why do you think you never got expelled for everything you did."

"I knew those detentions were just a way to spend more time with us Professor" laughed Sirius

"I wouldn't go that far..."

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry.**

"NO!"

**But – he couldn't.**

"Wait, what?!"

**He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.**

"Whoa. James your son killed Voldemort!" said Sirius

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

"I think we'd all like to know that."

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"So, in other words, you know, but you don't want to let on much" said Frank

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"What! No! Dumbledore, you can't! My sister and her husband despise magic! They'll mistreat him! He'd be better off anywhere else." cried Lily

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**

"Thank you Professor! At least you're talking sense." Said James

**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A letter? You think you can explain all this in a letter?" asked James

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?**

"OK, that's getting really creepy." Said James

"James, stop it! It's not right for you to becoming just like McGonagall!" exclaimed Sirius, much to McGonagall's annoyance

**These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"Unfortunately, knowing his father, that does make a lot of sense" sighed Remus

"Oi"

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

"He better not be"

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"Oi!" boomed Hagrid angrily. He had been enraptured in the story, and this was the first time he had spoken, and some had forgotten he was here. "I'd make sure ter protect little 'Arry"

"We know Hagrid. I'd trust you with my life." said Lily. Hagrid blushed, as murmurs of agreement wentaround the room

**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"Hey, that's my bike." yelled Sirius "Maybe I'm there to stop you sending Harry to the awful muggles. I'm his Godfather; he can come and live with me!"

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it.**

"Guess not. How'd Hagrid get my bike?"

**He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

"Why would I do that? Harry's supposed to come and live with me!"

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. **

"Awww!" the women cooed.

**Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"That's a cool scar!" said Gideon and Fabian.

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

"Okay, not so cool."

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground."**

"Really?" asked James

"Yes, really." Dumbledore answered, his eyes twinkling.

**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"Hey! I take offense to that!" Sirius said, unthinkingly.

"Why?" asked McGonagall, whilst almost everyone looked at him curiously.

"Uhhh... I just have a thing for dogs." replied Sirius, whilst quailing under the furious glares Remus and James were giving him. Lily just looked at him and sighed.

"Okay..." McGonagall replied dryly, whilst completely unbelieving. She knew the Marauders well enough to know that she wasn't going to get a straight answer, so didn't push.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

"You left him on the DOORSTEP!" Lily bellowed. Dumbledore had the common sense to look ashamed. Truth be told, he was a little frightened of an angry Lily Evans.

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

"Awww." Fabian cooed. "Seems you really care about him, and don't really want to leave him there."

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, **

"Didn't expect that did you Dursley"

**nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley... **

"Little brat" Sirius growled

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"**

"Oh! So Harry's the boy who lived." said Marlene.

"That's it." Said Dumbledore. "Would someone else like to read the next chapter?"

"I would, if nobody minds." Professor McGonagall replied, and Dumbledore passed the book over

* * *

_**Oh also my timeline is all skewy. I know about this. It just make my orignal plot easier without brining people back from the dead. **_

_**Read and review please! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows! :P**_


	2. The Vanishing Glass

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

"Now, I'm hoping that we'll be able to get through this chapter without so many interruptions." said McGonagall, glaring at the pranksters in the room, who had been making most of the noise.

**CHAPTER TWO**

**THE VANISHING GLASS**

"Oooh. Looks like there's going to be some accidental magic in this chapter." Sirius said, whilst smiling at McGonagall, who lips thinned and nostril's flared, and Moody, who was glaring profoundly at him.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all.**

"Yet more proof, as if we needed it, that these muggles are incredibly boring. Where's the fun in everything staying the same all the time?" asked Fabian

**The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.**

**Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-coloured bonnets - but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.**

"Yay! I've rescued him from the evil muggles!" cheered Sirius.

**Yet Harry Potter was still there,**

"Damn!"cried Sirius. "Where am I?"

**asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

**"Up! Get up! Now!"**

"That's an awful way to wake a child!" exclaimed Alice

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. "Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. **

"Wow. Kid's got good memory." said Aberforth

"How could he remember that far back?" asked Bill

"Memory's a funny thing, Bill." replied his father

**He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"Nope Harry. It's a memory of my beautiful bike" said Sirius

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Harry.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. **

"He's only ten years old, and they're making him cook?!" Molly exclaimed. "He could burn himself. He's too young to be doing that sort of thing!"

**And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

"Duddy?!" the twins and the Marauders chuckled

**Harry groaned.**

**"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

"He didn't, you deaf bat!"

**"Nothing, nothing..."**

**Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten?**

"Probably because you didn't want to son." said James.

"But why wouldn't he want to help celebrate his cousin's birthday?" asked Alice

"We'll probably find out in a minute, and I have a feeling we won't like it." sighed James

**Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed **

"So, just as messy as his father. Honestly, we could never find anything in our dorm" laughed Remus

"That's what summoning charms are for Moony!" said James sincerely.

**and, after pulling a spider **

Fabian shuddered, much to amusement of his brother and sister. "Spiders are evil!"

**off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders,**

"How can you be used to the little devils! That's not normal. They're bloody evil monsters." Fabian exclaimed

**because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

"WHAT!" was yelled throughout the room.

James said outraged "They made my son sleep in a cupboard!"

Lily had tears streaming down her face. "Tuney, how could you do that to my baby boy?!"

The twins were muttering under their breath, seemingly planning a revenge pranking, and from the few words that could be heard made Benji and Marlene inch away from them. Everyone in the room was livid, Hagrid had an uncharacteristically dark look on his face, Molly was red with fury, like many people throughout the room, and the ever-present twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had gone out. Sirius and Remus actually made to get out of their seats to go and hex the Dursleys into seventh hell, and had to be held down by Frank and Sturgis, while being told that it hadn't happened yet, and therefore they couldn't kill them for it.

Once everyone had calmed down a bit, McGonagall continued, her voice shaking slightly with fury.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. **

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody. **

"That somebody better not be Harry" Remus snarled.

**Dudley's favourite punching bag was Harry,**

Dark muttering broke out all around the table.

**but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.**

"Well, at least there's that." sighed Alice

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age.**

"Nah, Harry, that's your genes. You're dad was a scrawny git until about sixth year too."

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was.**

"They don't even buy him decent clothes that fit?" asked Marlene

**Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, **

"So, in other words, a clone of his father" laughed Remus

**and bright green eyes.**

"With his mothers' beautiful eyes" sighed James adoringly, whilst Lily blushed, and the rest of the room chuckled at his antics.

** He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

"Git"

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that**

**was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"I have a feeling he won't like that scar for long." said Benji

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died,"**

"WHAT!" rang through the room again. Lily buried her face in James' chest again, and wept for the cruelty of her sister towards her son.

"That's outrageous. Lying to him about how his parents died!" exclaimed Dorcas

"As if a car crash could kill a wizard or witch." growled Moody

"Not to mention any witch or wizard as talented as Lily and James" cried McGonagall

Sirius and Remus had wandered over to a corner with Gideon and Fabian, and by the sounds of the mutterings, were planning retribution. After fifteen minutes everyone calmed down again, and the four sat back down. James leaned over to Sirius and Remus and asked "Wanna tell me what that was about?" to which Sirius replied "Sure, we were going to ask you over, but you seemed a little busy. But we do have ideas which we need your help with."

"Are they good?"

"Definitely." Sirius said.

"Are they legal?"

"Not entirely" Remus answered honestly.

"We'll work on that"

**she had said. "And don't ask questions."**

"How can you learn without asking questions" exclaimed Remus. Marauder or not, he took learning seriously.

"You can't" McGonagall replied dryly.

**Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!"**

"Won't make a difference." James sang, ruffling his hair. "Potter hair is untameable."

"That's true. You won't believe the things I've tried to make it lie flat." Lily sighed

**he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put**

**together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place.**

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.**

"Sounds like a pig in a wig" snickered Sirius

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

"Alright! Harry thinks like his Uncle Padfoot!"

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"Thirty-six presents and he's complaining?" Charlie asked

"Kid's a right spoiled brat." said Caradoc

"Too right. Even Regulus didn't get that many, and he was my parents' perfect pureblood prince" Sirius growled.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.**

**Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right''**

"That is not the way to deal with that. He'll just expect more and more every year" said Arthur

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work.**

"Probably was."

**Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."**

"Sweet Merlin! The brat can't even count to thirty-nine!" exclaimed Bill

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

"Oh yes, encourage the boys greed. That's great parenting!" Frank said, his voice dripping with sarcasm

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

"He has a name! Use it!" snarled Remus

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

"Oh yes, because you can't let Harry have an ounce of joy in his life." said Gideon

"Poor Harry." sighed Molly, and she turned to her husband, "We need to make sure we get Harry over." Arthur nodded seriously, "The kids would like that. And Ron and Harry will be in the same year at Hogwarts as well."

"We'll make sure Harry comes over as well." Alice said, "We really want Neville and Harry to be good friends. And Ron and the others will be welcome as well." She added to Molly and Arthur.

Lily and James beamed at them.

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and**

**Tufty again.**

"Harry, that isn't kind." Lily scolded

"I dunno, I can understand an aversion to cats. Cats are evil." Sirius said sincerely.

"What have you got against cat?" asked McGonagall, huffily.

"With the exception of you Professor, they are all freakish little hell beasts."

James could see that McGonagall wasn't going to let this go, and so said "Oh come on Sirius. Just because that cat landed on your head and pulled out a chunk of your hair, giving you a bald patch for a month, does not make all cat evil little hell beasts." laughingly.

Sirius opened his mouth to retort, when Remus kicked him under the table. Not noticing this, McGonagall was satisfied with this explanation. In fact, the only ones who did notice were the twins, and as fellow pranksters themselves, recognised, the quick making up of a suitable explanation when they saw one. They were intrigued, but saw they weren't going to get any other explanation soon, so let go of it for now.

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

"No!" gasped Lily, "Don't send him to that ghastly woman!"

"How bad is she?" Alice enquired

"She makes Barty Crouch look sweet and gentle."

"Wow. I didn't know that was possible." Frank said

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

"He has a name. Harry. H-A-R-R-Y. Use it, it's not that hard." said James, condescendingly.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

"Lils, when you next go see your relatives, may we come?" asked Sirius and Remus, smiling sweetly and frighteningly.

"Us too?" added the twins, grinning maliciously as well.

"Of course. I don't see why not. I'm sure my sister and her family would love to meet all my dear friends." Now there were many scary smiles going around the room, but none of the pranksters had anything on a vengeful Lily Potter.

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"**

"She's still friends with that old cow?"

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

"But that would mean you could be happy for an afternoon, and of course we can't have that." said Emmaline, in a sugary baby sweet voice.

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

"Yeah do it! Blow up the house" yelled all the pranksters in the room

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

"Aww."

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "... and leave him in the car..."**

**"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..."**

"Oh yes, the car's new! What about poor Harry, locked in the car?!" Molly was getting redder and redder from fury at the way these people could treat the poor boy.

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

"Brat"

"Prat"

"Git"

"Whale"

"Spider!" Gideon cried

"Where?!" Fabian shrieked, much to everyone's amusement, cutting the tension that had been steadily building in the room, just as Gideon had planned.

**"Dinky Duddydums, **

Everyone roared with laughter, as Lily cried "Oh Tuney, your nicknames are just as awful as ever."

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

**"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

"Little git!" cried Bill

"William Arthur Weasley! You watch your language!" bellowed Molly

**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat.**

**He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"Of course. Can't cry in front of your friends can you?" said Dorcas

"That just proves they're not real mates. With real friends, they won't hold anything against you. You can cry in front of them all you want, and they won't ever hold it against you. They'll be there to help you through whatever happens" Everyone's except James, Remus and Dumbledore's jaws had dropped at this astounding wisdom from Sirius.

"What?" He asked, addressing the general astonishment in the room, "If there's one thing I value in this world, it's friendship, and I'd rather have a few true friends, than loads of fickle friends."

"Nicely put Mr. Black" Albus said, his eyes twinkling brightly, "Minerva if you would continue."

"Of...of course"

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. **

"That's really sad. Poor boy." said Marlene

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

"You dare, and I'll come over and hex you from here to Timbuktu!" this came surprisingly from Arthur.

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly..**

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.**

"Accidental magic Harry" said Frank

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.**

"That's awful. Nobody should be purposely humiliated like that." Benji cried

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off **

"Ha! Can't beat the awesome Potter hair!" laughed James, running a hand though his own, "Take that Dursleys!"

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he**

**couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"What! But Lily, surely your sister would know it was accidental" exclaimed Marlene

"Yes, she would. She also knows that if she explained it to Harry, he would demonstrate some level of control over his powers." Lily said seething, with her eyes narrowed.

"Really?" asked Arthur

"Of course. I did. Big things only happened when I lost control"

"Huh. I never could." Said Remus.

"Me either" said Frank.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls)**

"Eurgh. That's revolting."

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

"Hah! Way to go Harry! And not punished to boot." laughed Remus

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. **

"Woah! Harry apparated!" said Gideon

"More likely that he flew." said Frank

"Whatever. It's still amazingly powerful magic." said McGonagall

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid- jump.**

"Harry. I don't think you're that skinny. I'm sure you could come up with a better alibi than that." laughed Fabian, shaking his head.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.**

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favourite subjects.**

"You know I get the feeling he likes to complain about Harry." said Gideon.

"Never! What could possibly give you that idea?" replied Fabian

"I don't know. Just an inkling, I guess."

**This morning, it was motorcycles. "... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

"Harry!" Remus groaned

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a moustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

"Yes they do. Mine does. Janine is beautiful."

"You named you bike _Janine_?" laughed Emmaline.

"Of course. Don't knock her. My baby is gorgeous!" Sirius replied shortly.

"Don't ever take the mickey out of the bike if you don't want your throat ripped out" Remus whispered to her.

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

"No it wasn't, it was a memory of my wonderful bike!"

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

"We should go and watch cartoons!" yelled the Marauders, and the twins. "We'll bring Fred and George with us as well!" Gideon continued, "those two have got the makings of great pranksters already!"

"Oh no! Don't you dare! They're bad enough with their pranks without you giving them ideas!" Molly shrieked

"None of you are going to be watching any cartoons, because you're _all_ bad enough without any more ideas!" Lily yelled.

"Hmph!"

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

"Ahhh, so here's hinting at James' insulting ability. He may not have much brains, but he can insult better than anyone I know" said Remus

"Thanks Moo-HEY!"

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favourite hobby of hitting him.**

"Good idea. See definitely Lily's brains there." laughed Sirius

"OI!"

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top,**

"Brat!"

"Charlie!"

"Come on Mum, you know it's true."

**Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"Of course" James sighed

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can - but at the moment it didn't look in**

**the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father.**

"Why should it? It's perfectly allowed to sleep." said Charlie, who was a big animal lover.

**Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

"**This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

"James, Lils, you kid's a bit odd, comparing himself to a snake in a tank." said Gideon.

"Maybe, but I think it's sweet that he's so ready to sympathise, when he himself is in an awful situation." said Marlene.

"Maybe, but it's still a bit odd." replied Fabian

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.**

**It winked.**

"Okay..."

**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

"Don't encourage the freaky snake Harry."

"Don't talk to a book James" Sirius said mockingly, as James turned pink.

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time.**

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."**

**The snake nodded vigorously.**

"Okay, how is Harry holding a conversation with a snake?" James asked worryingly. Nobody could answer this, though Albus was suddenly looking pensive.

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.**

**"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs.**

"Oi! Don't hit my son!" James and Lily yelled.

** Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

"What? What happened?" Sirius asked, bouncing in his seat excitedly.

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. **

"Awesome!" yelled the twins. Sirius and Remus were grinning like maniacs. James said proudly, "That's my boy!"

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."**

"What the...?"

"Harry's a Parselmouth?!" asked Dedalus, fearfully.

"But how? I mean none of my family have been, and we're definitely not direct descendants of Slytherin. We're much closer related to Gryffindor and even Ravenclaw, so how..?" James wondered.

"It doesn't matter that he is, he's still Harry" Lily said sharply.

"I know that, and Parseltongue isn't a dark art, it's just got a bad reputation. I'm just curious, it's weird..." James answered.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers**

**calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

"Slimy little git!" Bill yelled.

"Bill!" Molly shouted, but her scolding was a little lessened by the fact that the adults, including her husband, were all muttering far worse.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

"No meals! They're starving my son!" bellowed James mutinously, while Lily's eyes flashed furiously. She was picturing all the ways she could hex her sister into oblivion without getting arrested for it. Everyone else in the room was shouting furiously at the book, with the exceptions of the two professors and Moody, all of whom were still looking outraged.

After about twenty minutes, (during which Bill and Charlie added a lot of obscenities to their ever growing list of curse words) everyone calmed down enough to continue.

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"That is ridiculous! No child should have to resort to sneaking in their own homes to make sure they don't starve" Alice cried

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died.**

"That's because we weren't in a car Harry" James said sadly. Sirius took hold of one of his shoulders and told him, "Remember, we were sent these books so we would have the chance to change the future."

"Yeah." James said, a slight smile creeping onto his face.

**Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long** **hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding** **flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead.**

"Woah! Harry survived the killing curse" the twins said.

"But that's impossible! Isn't it Professor?" asked Arthur

"Up until this point, I would have said yes, but it seems as though it is indeed possible, but I am unsure as to how." Albus replied, the wheels in his mind turning, trying to make sense of all that was to come.

**This, he** **supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green** **light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and** **uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask** **questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

"So he doesn't even know what we look like." said Lily, as James pulled her into his arms, needing to be close to her as much as she needed comforting.

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened;**

"Why not. Where are we? Me, Moony, and Wormtail? Why haven't we rescued him" Sirius cried, anguished.

"Well, I would guess, either we can't, because we're not around," Remus said sadly, "Or someone isn't allowing us to for some reason." He glared at Dumbledore for a moment before continuing, "But I don't know which really."

"Actually, I would guess it's more likely the second, as the "Golden Trio" mentioned me, so I'm assuming I, or we, come up later." Sirius pondered. McGonagall continued

**the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too.**

"Wizards, Harry"

**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

"Apparition."

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"Poor Harry. Children really can be cruel sometimes." sighed Alice.

"That's it for the chapter who's next?" McGonagall asked.

"Why don't we just go round the table, it's easier that way" growled Moody.

"Okay, that makes sense." she said, passing Moody the book.

As he opened the page to the next chapter, Charlie Weasley piped up "Mum, we're hungry!" gesturing to Bill who was nodding.

Glancing at her watch, she said "Oh look, it's after midday. Does anyone mind if we eat before the next chapter?"

"Of course not Molly, that's a splendid idea. Why don't we all make our way to the Great Hall for some lunch?" So after retrieving the younger children, who had dozed off in the playpen, everyone walked to the Great Hall where they ate and discussed at length what they had already read.

* * *

**__****Read and review please!**


	3. The Letters From No One

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

After everyone had eaten, they all returned to Room of Requirement. Lily, Alice, and Molly put the younger children back into the playpen, though Percy had decided he was bored playing with the other children, and wanted to listen to the story with the grownups. So, he was sat on his father's lap, like alongside his baby sister, who was cradled in her mothers' arms.

After a few minutes, everyone settled down enough for Moody to continue reading. He picked up the book, and began

**CHAPTER THREE**

**THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE**

"How can letters be from no one?" asked Bill.

"Well, at this time, Harry would be almost eleven, so I guess it would be his Hogwarts letter, sweetheart." Molly explained.

"Woo! That means Harry's getting out of that hell hole!" Sirius cheered.

"But, why is it called '_Letters' " _Percy asked inquisitively. Dumbledore and McGonagall had guessed, but were perfectly content to let the others guess and let the story unfold.

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started **

"What!" shrieked Lily, "Dudley's birthday is in April! They kept my son locked in a cupboard for over _three months!"_ At this, Moody was surprised that the book had not burst into flames with the fiery glares it was getting.

"But what about his school?" McGonagall asked.

"My guess would be that either they only let him out to go to school, and other wise kept him locked up, or they made an excuse to the school about why he couldn't go, and kept him in there round the clock." Remus answered, the traces of the wolf apparent on his face.

Due to the fact he was holding the book, if looks could kill, Moody thought he would have been six feet under by now.

**and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**

"Poor Arabella." sighed Albus.

"That child needs bending over someone's knee." Molly growled, as Bill, Charlie, and Percy all instinctively rubbed their behinds.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader.**

"You can just see the logic in that can't you" Benji said mockingly

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favourite sport: Harry Hunting.**

"Lay one finger on him, and I will happily curse you into oblivion" Sirius snarled

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be**

**with Dudley. **

"Yup! Thank Merlin Hogwarts doesn't accept muggles."

**Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley**

**thought this was very funny.**

**"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

"Don't you dare!" the twins growled,

**"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." **

Everyone roared with laughter, even Moody and McGonagall were chuckling at this.

Gasping through laughter , Remus said "So now we know, he's James' insults, and Lily's cheek! That's either going to be a brilliant combination, or is going to get him more detentions than you can count at Hogwarts!"

**Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said.**

"Don't hold your breath, pup" Sirius chuckled.

"Pup?" asked Frank

"I told you. I have a thing for dogs." While everybody knew there was more to this than was being let on, nobody really questioned it too much. They all knew the Marauders too well to try and get a straight answer out of them. Only Fabian and Gideon knew the minds of pranksters to see an excuse being constructed when they saw it. Because of this, they were paying closer attention, and noticed the silent berating James and Remus were giving Sirius. They looked at each other and mutely decided to keep an eye on this in the future.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats,**

"Ha!" Sirius said triumphantly, "Told you. Cats are evil!"

**and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before.**

"Good! Stupid bloody cats."

"Okay Sirius, we get it. You hate cats!" Remus said wearily.

**She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though**

**she'd had it for several years.**

"It's the thought that counts." Lily said

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. **

"You know, I've never been more glad for Hogwarts uniform being black" chuckled James.

**They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

"How is that supposed to be good training. I mean I know we all threw hexes at each other when the teachers backs were turned, but the teachers never encouraged it. In fact I think we spent more time in detention than any other students in Hogwarts." said Sirius, gesturing to himself and James.

"Unfortunately, those detentions did not seem to teach you the fact that you should not go around hexing all the Slytherins you meet." McGonagall said dryly.

"Oh come on, Professor. I'll admit that James and I did more than our fair share of hexing, but even you must have jinxed one or two people in your time as a student."

"Indeed. I seem to remember a truly spectacular duel in the Entrance Hall, between yourself and one Slytherin named Walburga, in you sixth year Minerva" Albus stated, eyes twinkling.

"Wait, you're the Gryffindor witch who put my dear old mum in the hospital wing for a month with tusks and wings?" Sirius exclaimed, looking astonished, "I knew there was a reason you were my favourite teacher Professor. I've always wanted to know who did that. It's weird to think that you've been my mysterious hero all this time..." Sirius carried on in this vein for some time, with McGonagall getting pinker, finally turning scarlet when Sirius got up and hugged her and thanked her for "sticking it to the freakish inbred bat!", much to the amusement of everyone in the room.

Finally, when Sirius had stopped praising McGonagall, Moody continued to read, with a small smile on her face.

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. **

**Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**

"I think that's a _normal_ human response." said Sturgis

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. **

"Oh, I see Tuney's cooking hasn't gotten any better."

**It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

"If that's what her cooking has degraded to, I fear for my son's health."

**"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

**"Your new school uniform," she said.**

"Thank Merlin for Madam Malkins." Emmaline muttered.

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

"Sorry sweetie, but sarcasm's always been lost on her." Lily smiled

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dying some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

"I seriously doubt that." James said.

**Harry seriously doubted this,**

"Okay that's getting weird"

**but thought it best not to argue.**

"Probably Harry." Lily sighed.

"I wouldn't have been able to stop myself." said James.

"Which yet again goes to show that Harry has got Lily's brains!" Remus laughed

"OI!"

**He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

"Woah, he asked the fat lump to do something!" cried Bill

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Get the mail, Harry."**

"He said Harry's _name!"_ exclaimed Charlie

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

"Ahh. Now the world is right side up again." said Percy, whilst everyone laughed the children's antics and their brutal honesty.

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and - a letter for Harry.**

"Woo! Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts!" the twins and the Marauders sang.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? **

"Well, seeing as you're the Boy Who Lived, I would guess, tonnes of people." Frank said.

"I may be right in thinking while Harry is isolated from the wizarding world, any fan mail he may get, would be stored safely until he is back in our world and wants to retrieve it." Albus explained.

**He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**The Cupboard under the Stairs**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

"Why are they always so ridiculously exact?" Sturgis asked

"There is a magical quill in Hogwarts that addresses all the letters. It is exact because of the way the charm on it works." McGonagall explained.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

"Owl post doesn't need stamps" Benij explained.

"We know that Benji, but he doesn't ...yet." replied Lily.

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion**(Woo!)**, an eagle,**(Yes!)** a badger**(Awesome!)**, and a snake**(Boo!)** surrounding a large letter H.**

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

"That has got to be..."

"The absolute worst..."

"Joke we have ever heard!" the twins finished together.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. **

"No Harry! Don't open it in there!" Lily cried

**He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk. -."**

"Best news I've ever heard!" said Lily scathingly.

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

"Shut up you fat git!" Bill yelled.

"Bill!"

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

"Give that back you prat!"

"Charlie!"

**"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge.**

"Woah. We should get Nymphie to show us that." Sirius said.

"Nymphie?" asked Marlene

"She's my cousin. 'Bout Charlie's age. She's a Metamorphmagus"

"Oh."

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**

"She then choked, passed out and Harry got his letter back and escaped to Hogwarts!"

"Fabian!"

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

"And they let him get away with that?" Arthur asked angrily.

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**

"What gives you the right to read it, you little brat?"

"Percy!"

**I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."**

"Fabulous point there Harry." said the twins

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

**I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

"Ahh, there's the famous Evans temper" chuckled Marlene

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; **

"Come on Harry!" was cheered throughout the room

**Dudley won,**

"Aww."

**so Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

"That's it Harry, don't let the fat git get you down!" cheered Remus

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"Wow. They certainly think a lot of themselves." said Alice.

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want -"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything...**

"That won't work." sang Elphias.

**"But -"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

"You can't stamp out magic!"McGonagall cried outraged, "That's ridiculous!"

Nobody noticed Albus and Aberforth share a glance. Aberforth glared darkly at his hands and the twinkling in Albus' eyes went out. They both knew what happened to children who had magic "stamped out" of them.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

"He fit?" asked Frank

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**

"Straight to the point, your son. I like it."Edgar laughed

**"No one. it was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

"Just because his own son is stupid enough to fall for that, doesn't mean Harry is. Harry clearly has a greater intelligence than a snail." said Dorcas.

**"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

"Hope it was." Sirius muttered darkly

**"Er - yes, Harry - about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking... you're really getting a bit big for it... we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

"Second bedroom!" James and Lily yelled. "That overgrown pig has two rooms, and our son had to sleep in a _cupboard!"_

Sirius and Remus were too outraged to speak, however they were able to gesture to James and the Prewett twins to join them in a corner of the room, whilst everybody bellowed at the book. There they got some serious revenge planning done, and whilst brutal, was not technically anything illegal, and couldn't get them locked up in Azkaban. When everything had calmed down a bit, they rejoined the table, and Lily leaned over and whispered in James' ear, "Before you do anything rash, I want you to tell me exactly what you are doing." When James opened his mouth to argue, Lily continued "Forget it. You are not going to do anything unless I can add my own finishing touches to it." James smiled at her, completely flabbergasted, and whispered, "I knew there was a reason I've always loved you."

**"Why?" said Harry.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. **

Moody was once again thankful that looks couldn't kill, because of the glares being sent his way. He too was furious that anyone could treat a child this way.

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbour's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite program had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They**

**were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, I don't want him in there... I need that room... make him get out..."**

"What you need is a good clip around the ear." Edgar muttered

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back.**

"If any of my children tried that with me, they wouldn't be able to sit down for a week." Molly said angrily. Bill, Charlie, and Percy looked at each other sheepishly. While they had never been bratty enough to do all those things, they _may_ have screamed and been sick on purpose.

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's**

**another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive -'"**

"If he wanted to read it, why yell that, the idiot" Charlie asked

"Because, like you said Charlie, he's an idiot"

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. **

"Yeah go Harry! Choke him!" Sirius cheered

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick,**

"Hopefully Vernon" said Fabian cheerfully

**Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

"Damn!"

"Gideon, _do not swear in front of the children!"_

"Yes Molly." he answered sheepishly, much to everyone's amusement

**"Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley - go - just go."**

"Yeah, just go Dudley. No one can stand the sight of your big round arse."

"_James Potter! Do not swear like that, especially in front of the kids!" _Lily shrieked

"Y...yes Lilykins."

"That goes for you two as well!"

"Okay Lily."

"Sure... No swearing. Got it."

McGonagall couldn't help but admire the redhead's control over the Marauders. Merlin knew she was never able to keep them in line like that.

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

"Oh no." Remus sighed, "if this is anything like his father's plans, someone's going to get hurt"

"Oi!"

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights. **

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. **

"That's actually a good plan." Remus said surprised

"See! What did I tell you? Lily's brains." said Sirius, knowingly

"OI" James yelled "What is this, 'Pick on James Day'?"

"Nah. 'Pick on Prongs Day' is tomorrow. We're just practicing." Sirius chuckled

"Oh, that's nice. Remind me to avoid you two tomorrow."

"Sure thing mate."

**His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door - Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat - something alive!**

"Big and squashy?" Sirius laughed, "That's a good description. At least Harry got to step on him."

"Unfortunately, good as it is, it's also simple enough for those idiots to think of." Remus sighed

"So clearly, Prongsy's brains are in there somewhere"

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. **

"Nice aim Harry. I doubt you'll be able to do that again. Best do it while you can" Marlene giggled

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making**

**sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap.**

**Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink. I want -" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes. **

"Git"

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.**

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."**

"Oh no, we won't." Gideon sang

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

"See, now she actually has a brain, despite the fact it's the size of a pea." Fabian said earnestly.

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

"And we thank every deity out there for that!" exclaimed Sirius.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.**

"Now those are some creative ways of getting post" laughed Charlie

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. **

"Began?" Remus asked, "Things began to get out of hand when you overreacted to the first letter!"

**Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to,**

"The poor muggles." Alice sighed

**Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

"We Do!"

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

**"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today -"**

"Firstly, not for us, and secondly, the guys cracked" chuckled Bill.

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one.**

"Why wouldn't he just pick one up off the ground?" asked Percy. Everyone just shrugged, it did seem to be the sensible thing to do, but everyone has gone a bit nuts in this book.

**"Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

"Oi! Hands off my son!" James growled

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his moustache at the same time. I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

**He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue. **

"Wonder how he looks with his moustache then." Charlie said curiously

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the motorway.**

**Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

"Good. Although I don't think you should hit children, it's about time this boy got some discipline." said Emmaline.

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"Yeah, 'cause that's going to get rid of us." Edgar said slowly, as though speaking to a two year old.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

"Aww. Poor baby. Welcome to Harry's world Dudders." said Sirius, scathingly.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering...**

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**Room 17**

**Railview Hotel**

**Cokeworth**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

"Don't just stand there! Give Harry his letters." cried Marlene

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. **

"He'd do better to listen to her. She has some knowledge of the magical world and knows they won't be able to outrun the letters." Lily sighed, shaking her head.

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of**

**a multilevel parking garage.**

"If he's looking for a place that's out of reach of wizards, he'll be very disappointed." said Dedalus, with a smile on his face.

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television. "**

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday - and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of**

**television **

"Well at least he's good for something, then." said Alice.

**then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. **

The Marauders, the Prewett twins, and Bill and Charlie all yelled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" at the top of their lungs.

Which in turn, had Ginny start to cry, as she had been fast asleep. After calming her down, she and Lily sent their respective boys a glare that plainly said "If you make one of the children cry again, there won't be enough left of you to fill an eggcup."

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun - last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

"They can give their whale of a son thirty-nine presents, but won't give Harry one decent gift?" Frank said, eyes narrowed, while the pranksters were biting their tongues to save them from the wrath of Lily and Molly. Though, they may not have noticed, as they were both speechless with rage.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. **

"This can't be good." Remus sighed.

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!" **

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.**

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.**

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. **

"He better not let my son get sick because of his idiocy." Lily growled

**After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding,**

**led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of crisps each and four bananas.**

"Those aren't rations! The poor boys going to be starving." Molly cried.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shrivelled up.**

**"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

"Git."

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

"Don't worry Harry. You'll get your letter, it'll be fine." James said

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few mouldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle**

**Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

"That's it! Once we've done with these books, I'm going to pay a visit to my _dear sister_ and I am going to hex her into oblivion!" Lily then started muttering things under her breath, and was looking so terrifying, that Alice started to inch away from her.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of**

**Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all,**

"Probably not." sighed Elphias.

**wondering where the letter writer was now.**

"I'm probably still in my office, wondering why you haven't replied." said McGonagall.

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.**

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

"There's an idea!" exclaimed Charlie. "That'd be doable."

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds... twenty ... ten... nine - maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him **

"Do it!" chuckled Sirius.

**three... two... one...**

**BOOM.**

"Huh?" echoed throughout the room.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"That's it" said Moody.

"Well that was interesting" said Remus

"If by interesting, you mean, prime example of how muggles can't outrun magic then I agree. Very interesting," Sirius replied. Most people laughed at this, Albus gave a slight chuckle, his eyes twinkling again, and Moody handed the book to Benji.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	4. The Keeper of Keys

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Benji read the title and chuckled. "I think we might know someone in this chapter."

"Why?" asked Sirius

"Well, the chapter title is _The Keeper of Keys"_

"Hagrid!" the pranksters shouted, and Hagrid blushed, but his eyes crinkled into a smile, knowing he was going to be there for Harry.

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS**

**BOOM. **

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. "Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

"You don't need to add that. We already know you're stupid." laughed James.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands - now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

"He brought a _gun_ into a house with two eleven year olds!" Lily shrieked. Sirius, Remus, and Arthur's faces darkened at this, and though the purebloods in the room were quite puzzled, they knew that to elicit this kind of reaction, it had to be dangerous to the children.

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you - I'm armed!"**

"Well, of course you've got arms." said Gideon

"You'd have to be pretty think to forget them." continued Fabian

"Then again, you are..."

"Pretty thick, so I guess..."

"It's pretty impressive..."

"That you didn't forget them!" they both finished together, as everybody chuckled at their antics. When they stopped, Lily explained "No, he means he has a weapon." Everyone scowled at the thought of someone trying to harm Hagrid, despite the fact his giant blood would more than likely prevent this.

**There was a pause. Then -**

**SMASH!**

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

"Now that's an entrance!" cheered James

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.**

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

**"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."**

"Aww. Typical Hagrid. Break down the door and ask for a cuppa. Gotta love you Hagrid." Remus chuckled, and Hagrid just smiled at that.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

"Ha! You tell him Hagrid!"

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

"Don't worry Harry. Hagrid looks a little frightening at first, but you can't help but love him. He's got a big heart." said Lily, and a blushing Hagrid beamed at her.

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."**

"I bet he ends up hearing that a lot." Sirius said with a smile.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

"**I demand that you leave at once, sit!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

"Thank you, Hagrid." Lily said, sincerely, "That thing was worrying me in there."

"Also, way to go with sticking it to Dursley." said Fabian, and everyone murmured in agreement. Hagrid just smiled at all of them.

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

**"Anyway - Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.**

"Thank you, Hagrid. That's lovely." beamed Lily. James nodded in agreement, but when Hagrid turned away, he muttered to Sirius "It is nice of him, but Harry would be safer for Harry if he didn't eat it." Sirius just nodded at him.

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Harry, mind your manners!" Lily scolded.

**The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."**

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together."I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

"Hagrid" Molly sighed, exasperated, "You shouldn't be drinking in front of Harry." Hagrid blushed and quailed under the glare she was giving him.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. **

McGonagall sighed and opened her mouth, no doubt to begin a lecture, when Albus said "Calm down, Minerva. I, no doubt, gave Hagrid permission to use magic whilst retrieving Harry", at which McGonagall closed her mouth and smiled. She was very fond of Hagrid, and did not enjoy telling him off.

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from**

**before starting to make tea. **

"What don't you have in that coat?" Sirius asked, curiously.

"I got ev'rythin I need in it. Though, truth be told, I want ter pick up some more mead offa Rosmerta." Hagrid answered, cheerfully.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. **

**Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

**The giant chuckled darkly. "Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don'**

**worry."**

"Truer words have never been spoken." Remus said, knowingly.

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

"That's better." said Lily, smiling**.**

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.**

**"Er - no," said Harry.**

"Uh oh" Fabian sang

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It' s them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents**

**learned it all?"**

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

"Hagrid's not going to like that." Gideon said gleefully.

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy - this boy! - knows nothin' abou' - about ANYTHING?"**

"Harry's not going to like that. He's going to think you're calling him stupid." Alice said.

Hagrid opened his mouth furiously, when Frank spoke up, "We know you're not, it's just the way it would sound in context, especially considering he has no idea our world exists."

Hagrid considered this, and closed his mouth grudgingly.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.**

Hagrid sighed. He knew what he was on about, but he had to admit – Frank had a point.

**"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." **

"Not what he means, sweetie." Lily smiled.

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

**"What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.**

**"But yeh must know about yet mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

**"What? My - my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

**"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

**"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.**

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. "Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sit! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"**

"As if you could forbid _Hagrid_." Sirius scoffed.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"**

"It is unthinkable" said Marlene, angrily.

**"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

"Again with that word. Get used to it. You can't control everyone in the world, you can't control Hagrid, and you certainly won't be controlling Harry anymore" Remus said, furious at the way Harry had been treated by his own family.

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

"Overdramatic aren't we?" said Edgar

**"Ah, go boil yet heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry - yet a wizard."**

Everyone was cheering throughout the room, some like the pranksters, loudly and joyfully, or some like McGonagall and Moody, good naturedly, humouring the others, and more for the fact that Harry will be able to leave those awful people.

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

**"I'm a what?" gasped Harry.**

"Great reaction." Gideon chuckled

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

"Finally!"exclaimed Bill

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to **

**Mr. H. Potter, **

**The Floor, **

**Hut-on-the-Rock, **

**The Sea. **

**He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall,**

**Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. **

**After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

"That's his first question. Hagrid tells him he's a wizard, and _that's his first question?_" asked Sirius

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl - a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl - a long quill, and a roll of parchment.**

"You keep an owl in your pocket?" Alice asked, incredulously.

"It's probably Maeta or one of 'er kids. But he's nice an' warm in the bed he as fer 'imself in there. He's happy." Hagrid explained.

**With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:**

"Now that's an impressive talent. I can barely read Hagrid's writing right side up." Sirius muttered to Remus, while he nodded in agreement.

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**

**Given Harry his letter.**

**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.**

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're Well.**

**Hagrid**

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

"It is for us." Sirius said, then noticing the gobsmacked looks he was getting, said "Muggle studies, people!"

"We know. It's just the fact that you willingly paid attention, Pads" Remus chuckled.

"What was the point in taking the bloody class, if I wasn't going to learn anything to piss off my mother?"

"True."

"It's a shame you couldn't apply that focus to other lessons Mr. Black." said McGonagall.

"If you had informed me that you were the person who jinxed my mother into next week, you would have had my utmost attention. Besides, asides from James, I was top in the class with Moony without even trying."

McGonagall just sighed and gestured for Benji to continue.

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

**"He's not going," he said.**

**Hagrid grunted.**

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

**"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a - a wizard?"**

"Of course they knew. Lily's one of the best witches of our age!" exclaimed Alice

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? **

"Lily is not dratted!" yelled James, furiously. Lily smiled sadly, and put her hand on his arm, and calmed down. Slightly.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school-and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak!**

Lily sighed as everyone started yelling against the slandering of her character.

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"**

"As they should be!" growled Moody.

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

"Oh, she has." Lily said sadly.

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as - as - abnormal - and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

"That's an awful way to tell him! Nobody should find out like that!" Molly cried.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! **

"Too right it is! Give 'em hell Hagrid!" said Sirius.

**Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" **

**"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh - but someone 3 s gotta - yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."**

"Now that wouldn't be good." said Remus, seriously.

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..."**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"**

**"Who? "**

**"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

"It's just a name!" exclaimed James.

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad.**

"That's an understatement."

**As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. **

"Better..."

**His name was..."**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah -can't spell it. All right - Voldemort. " Hagrid shuddered. **

"Wow. Harry got Hagrid to say the name. _Dumbledore _can't get him to say the name!" laughed Sirius.

**"Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this - this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust,**

**didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him - an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.**

**"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew.**

"Cheers Hagrid," said James, while Lily smiled at him. Hagrid blushed again.

**Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! **

"And we still have no idea how Prongsy ended up as Head Boy" laughed Sirius and Remus.

**Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

**"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. **

Dumbledore shuffled in his seat. He had not told James and Lily and Frank and Alice about the prophecy yet. He knew he had to soon, but quite frankly, Lily scared him a little.

**All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old.**

"So soon." Lily gasped, tears streaming down her face. James, though anguished, took her in his arms and tried to comfort her as much as he could while telling Benji to keep reading/

**He came ter yer house an' - an' -"**

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find - anyway..."**

"Thank you Hagrid." Lily said with a watery smile.

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age **

"That's true" sighed McGonagall, "We've lost so many good people through this war." Everyone nodded gravely.

When Albus asked Benji to keep reading, they noticed he had gone white and looked horrified.

"What is it, Benji? What's wrong?"

Benji took a deep breath and said,

**the McKinnons, **

Marlene gasped.

**the Bones, **

Edgar went white.

**the Prewetts **

"No!" Molly said anguished.

Gideon and Fabian looked at each other and said "If we're going down, we're going to die fighting, and take as many Death Eaters with us!"

"Remember, we were sent these books for a reason. We may be able to prevent these deaths as well." Albus said calmly, though the twinkle lost from his eye showed how deeply he felt the loss of his students.

**an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

"Now that is a mystery." said Sirius

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before - and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

"How can he remember that?!" Lily cried.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

**"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

"He better not have!" James snarled

**- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion –**

"No it isn't!" Sirius and Remus actually jumped out of their seats, when everyone yelled this, and looked quite ready to apparate to Privet Drive, to curse the Dursleys within an inch of their lives, when James pulled them down and said, "Guys. This hasn't happened yet, and we may be able to change it. If it does turn out this way, when the time comes, I give you permission to do whatever they want, as long as you don't end up in Azkaban when you're done."

Sirius and Remus sat back down, but were in no way calm yet. James sighed and motioned for Benji to continue.

**asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types - just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -I'm warning you - one more word... "**

"Hex him, Hagrid!"

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol-, sorry - I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

"Don't be afraid of the name Harry."

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful - why'd he go?**

**"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don~ reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.**

**"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on - I dunno what it was, no one does - but somethin' about you stumped him, all**

**right."**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and**

**Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

"It be great if that was the case, but unfortunately magic doesn't work that way." Sirius laughed.

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

**"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it... every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry... chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach... dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back... and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa**

**constrictor on him?**

"Now that was brilliant." said the twins.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.**

**"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard - you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

**"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish - spell books and wands and -"**

"It's not rubbish! It's necessary!" cried Marlene.

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled-"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!"** **yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"Uh oh." said Sirius, glancing at Hagrid, who looked ready to explode.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT- ALBUS- DUMBLEDORE IN- FRONT- OF- ME!"**

"Must be nice to have your own bodyguard, Professor." said the twins. Albus chuckled.

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley - there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

"Brilliant!" shouted the pranksters, Bill, and Charlie.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. "Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

Everyone just roared with laughter with this.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff - one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

**"Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." **

**"Why were you expelled?"**

"Harry! That's personal!" Lily scolded, while James muttered to Sirius and Remus "We never did find out either."

"I think Harry might find out in these books." replied Remus.

"Care to make a wager on that?" Sirius asked.

"Three sickles that Harry finds out."

"I'm with Moony on this one"

"Okay, I'll bet you each three sickles that he doesn't. You know what Hagrid's like. He always change the subject, when his expulsion is brought up."

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."**

"See!"

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.**

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"Well, that was interesting." Benji said as he closed the book and passed it to Gideon.

Everyone nodded in agreement, their minds still on what they had learned, when Gideon opened the page and began.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	5. Diagon Alley

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

"Yes! Finally a magic place!" Gideon cheered.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**DIAGON ALLEY**

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.**

**"It was a dream, he told himself firmly."I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."**

"That's really sad. The first good thing that happens to him in ten years, and he thinks it's a dream 'cause he thinks it's too good to be true." Sirius sighed.

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

"What could be making the tapping though?" asked Percy.

"Probably just an owl, bringing the newspaper, dear." said Molly, smiling.

**"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.**

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. **

"Yeah, Hagrid's a _very_ deep sleeper. It'd take more than that to wake him." said Sirius chuckling.

**The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.**

**"Don't do that."**

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.**

"That owl needs paying. They can be bloody vicious otherwise." said Frank, wisely

**"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl**

**"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

"He won't know how." said Lily

**"What?"**

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."**

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets **

"Now that's the truth if ever I heard it." laughed James.

**bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

**"Knuts?"**

**"The little bronze ones."**

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.**

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.**

"If you were going to get up, why did you get Harry to pay the owl, Hagrid?" asked Alice, curiously.

Before Hagrid could answer, Lily said "Probably to let recognise our currency." Hagrid nodded an affirmative at that.

"Oh, that makes sense."

**"Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."**

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.**

"Oh, come on, Harry. Don't be so pessimistic. Keep the happy balloon alive and floating!" said Fabian, so sincerely, that most people couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

**"Um - Hagrid?"**

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

**"I haven't got any money - and you heard Uncle Vernon last night ... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."**

"You'll be fine Harry. We'll have left you everything." said James, sadly.

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

**"But if their house was destroyed -"**

"Why would we keep our gold in the house?" Lily just shrugged.

**"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold - an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."**

**"Wizards have banks?"**

"Why wouldn't we?"

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."**

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.**

**"Goblins?"**

"That was my reaction too." laughed Lily.

**"Yeah - so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. **

"That really is good advice." said Arthur.

**Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts -knows he can trust me, see. Got everythin'? Come on, then."**

**Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

**"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.**

**"Flew," said Hagrid.**

"_Flew!"_

**"Flew?"**

Everyone laughed at this.

**"Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."**

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"It is pretty difficult. I can't see you riding a broom Hagrid, so any ideas?" questioned Remus

Hagrid just shrugged.

"Maybe he flew my bike?"asked Sirius.

"But it'd still be there, though."

"Huh. Okay I give up."

"I'll keep thinking about it."

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter - er - speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

McGonagall sighed "Hagrid!" exasperatedly, but the effect was somewhat lessened, by the fact that everyone else was openly laughing at this.

**"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.**

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.**

**"Spells - enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the highsecurity vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life.**

"I wouldn' o' minded Harry." said Hagrid, "Yer should jus' ask."

**"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.**

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself.**

**"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job.**

"How'd that happen?" James asked, shocked. "Everyone you speak to says Barty Crouch is a shoo-in!"

"Maybe it'll come up. But I don't think he'd make a good Minister to be honest. He's too brutal" said Frank.

"Perhaps, but Fudge is a right idiot. And a corrupt one at that. And if he's been at this a few years, then I would think he'd become a bit more confident, and a little too fond of power. He's always willing to look the other way and help out those who give generously. It'd be incredibly easy for some old pureblood family to pay their way through the world with him as Minister." explained James

**Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."**

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"**

**"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

"It's a bit more than that."

**"Why?"**

**"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."**

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.**

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as all as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"**

**"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

**"You'd like one?"**

"Hagrid, you live in a _wooden house _by school full of _children._" Lily sighed, "I don't think a dragon is the best choice of pet. Especially as they're illegal."

Hagrid just ignored her.

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go."**

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," **

"It's not that hard. The numbers are on the bills." said Lily.

**as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets. People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

**"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.**

**"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."**

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**UNIFORM**

**First-year students will require:**

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

"Does anyone ever wear that?" Sirius asked. Everyone just shrugged. They knew they never wore their whilst at school.

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

**COURSE BOOKS**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

"Only the dark forces and potions texts are any different." Remus said, "I guess that makes sense, as the Defense position is jinxed, and Slughorn wanted to retire."

**OTHER EQUIPMENT**

**wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set**

**glass or crystal phials**

**telescope set**

**brass scales**

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

"I always hated that rule." sighed James, with much agreement from the rest of the room.

**"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.**

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.**

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

**"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. **

"That's because you have to go to Diagon Alley, sweetheart." said Lily, smiling.

**This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? **

"Yes"

**Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? **

"You betcha"

**Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up? **

"Don't give them more credit than they're worth, Harry." said Fabian, "Those three wouldn't recognise a joke if ran around naked, kicked down their door, and started flying around their living room on a broomstick."

**If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.**

Hagrid just beamed at that.

**"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."**

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it. **

"Muggle repelling charms." smiled Arthur.

"But then how to parents of muggle borns see it?" asked Alice.

"It's part of the charm. As long as they are accompanied by a witch or wizard, they will be able to see it." said McGonagall.

"Sounds like a complicated spell, not just your bog standard muggle repulsion." said Frank

**Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside. For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a**

**glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"**

**"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.**

**"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this - can this be -?"**

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

"Now that's a first" chuckled Sirius.

**"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honor."**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."**

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

**"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."**

**"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."**

**"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."**

Dedalus blushed at this.

**"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."**

**"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" **

Everyone laughed at this, while Dedalus turned beet red.

**Harry shook hands again and again - Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.**

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.**

**"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

"Oh, I remember him. Slytherin, few years ahead of us wasn't he?" James asked Sirius and Remus.

"Yeah I think so. He was a sixth year while we were firsties." said Sirius, Remus nodding.

"Yes, Mr. Quirrell will be taking up the Muggle studies position this September." said Albus.

"Oh, well then Harry won't be seeing him much until third year, and I doubt he'd take muggle studies, to be honest." said Remus.

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."**

"He never used to have that stutter." said Sirius frowning.

**"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"**

**"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," **

"Huh? I thought he was muggle studies?" asked Frank.

"Clearly he opted for a change." Lily said, "Let's hope the jobs not still jinxed."

"Mmm. Still, I feel bad for the kids. Especially in a crucial class, that stutter is going to be really annoying" said Sirius.

"Why only for a crucial class, why not another subject?" asked Alice.

"Well, say he taught History of Magic, it wouldn't really matter, 'cause everyone just sleeps through it, or Divination, cause it's just a load of guess work"

"Okay, I see your point."

**muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" **

"Just because he survived the Killing Curse doesn't mean he can do without defense."

**He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.**

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

**"Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."**

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Harry.**

**"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

**"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, **

"How can you teach a subject if you're terrified of it? Or if you're terrified of the students?" Lily asked incredulously.

**where's me umbrella?"**

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. **

**Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.**

**"Three up... two across he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. The brick he had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.**

**"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."**

Lily and James smiled sadly. They should be the ones taking Harry to Diagon Alley.

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring, Collapsible, **

"Don't get the collapsible ones. They have a nasty habit of collapsing halfway through making a potion." said Remus.

"So it wasn't you awful potion making abilities that meant your potions were always flooding Sluggy's class rooms?" Sirius asked innocently. Remus just glared at him.

**said a sign hanging over them.**

"**Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."**

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as**

**they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad..."**

"That _is_ expensive. Prices are really going to go up." said Alice.

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy.**

"I had a Snowy owl. She was beautiful." sighed Lily.

**Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. **

All the quidditch fanatic leaned forward.

**"Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand - fastest ever -" **

"Yes! A new broom!" exclaimed James, but Lily, chuckling at this antics, said slowly, "Yes, James, but unfortunately, this is ten years into the future, so you can't have it." smiling as James slumped back in his chair, disappointed.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon...**

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid.**

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was -**

**"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

**Enter, stranger, but take heed**

**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**

**For those who take, but do not earn,**

**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**

**So if you seek beneath our floors**

**A treasure that was never yours,**

**Thief, you have been warned, beware**

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

"You know that's a very pleasant poem for a message that essentially says 'try anything and you won't walk out of here alive." said Fabian.

**"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses.**

**There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.**

**"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."**

**"You have his key, Sir?"**

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.**

**"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.**

"How did Hagrid end up with my key?" asked James.

"I would assume I kept it for safe keeping until Harry re-entered the wizarding world." replied Albus.

**The goblin looked at it closely. "That seems to be in order."**

**"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the YouKnow-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

"Uh oh. If Harry's anything like me and James, his curiosity is going to get the better of him." said Lily.

**The goblin read the letter carefully.**

**"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have Someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.**

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.**

"And there it is." smiled James.

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."**

"That's just going to make him wonder about it even more." sighed Lily

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in - Hagrid with some difficulty - and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.**

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - - they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

**I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."**

"I hate those bloody carts." said Marlene.

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.**

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

**"All yours," smiled Hagrid.**

**All Harry's - it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? **

"It wouldn't be much as he has nothing new of his own, and they continually starve him." James said, furiously.

**And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.**

**Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.**

**"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. **

"Easy enough to people who've been using it their entire lives." chuckled Lily.

**Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook.**

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.**

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

**"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through**

**the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.**

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least - but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

"He's got more restraint than me then." Lily smiled.

**"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.**

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life - more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

"That's got to be a good feeling." chuckled Fabian.

**"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. "Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact. "**

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him) slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.**

**"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"**

**"Yes," said Harry.**

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. **

"What's the point in her looking at wands? The wand chooses the wizard." said Remus, confused.

**He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

"I don't like this kid. Harry should stay clear of him." said Sirius.

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.**

**"No," said Harry.**

**"Play Quidditch at all?"**

**"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

James look as though his son had mortally wounded him.

**"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

**"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

"Ignorance is not stupidity. You've only just found out about our world, you figure it out soon." said Emmaline.

**"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" **

**"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.**

**"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.**

"Aww. That's sweet of you Hagrid." said Alice. Hagrid just smiled.

**"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."**

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

"He is not!" was yelled across the room, and everyone broke out in a lot of angry muttering.

**"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.**

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

Everyone was livid at this, and Hagrid blushed at everyone coming to his defense.

**"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.**

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"**

**"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

**"Oh, sorry," said the other,. not sounding sorry at all. **

"Git!"

**"But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

"That's a very diplomatic answer." said Frank.

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.**

"Oh, yay. Another pureblood supremacist. When are people going to realise that you're ancestry doesn't matter, but it's who you are that should be important?" said Sirius, angrily.

**What's your surname, anyway?"**

"Don't tell him Harry! Then he'll end up sucking up to you, and you don't want someone like that for a friend. Real friends are important, not ones who want your fame." said Remus.

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.**

**"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

"Merlin I hope not."

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).**

**"What's up?" said Hagrid.**

**"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

**"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowin' about Quidditch!"**

**"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. "-and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in."**

**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were - he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles - look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"**

**"So what is Quidditch?"**

"Yes! Tell him Hagrid!" James cheered.

**"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like - like soccer in the Muggle world - everyone follows Quidditch - played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

"No it's not."

Lily said to Gideon, "Keep reding before he starts, or we'll never hear the end of it."

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

**"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but -"**

"No they're not! Hufflepuffs are fiercely loyal and hard working!" said Caradoc

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" said Harry gloomily.**

"Nah, you won't you'll be in Gryffindor." said James.

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin.**

"That's not strictly true. That's just a stereotype." said Frank.

**You-Know-Who was one."**

**"Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"**

**"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.**

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

**"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

**"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."**

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"),**

"Pewter's better anyway. You only need a gold one for certain potions. In most the metal reacts badly with the potion." said Lily, knowledgably.

**but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.**

**"Just yer wand left - A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."**

**Harry felt himself go red.**

**"You don't have to -"**

**"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."**

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. **

"Thank you, Hagrid. That's a wonderful gift." said Lily beaming at him, whilst James nodded, smiling.

**He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

**"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."**

**A magic wand... this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.**

"Everyone always does." said Remus.

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

"He has got amazing senses if he can feel that." exclaimed Marlene.

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

There were low chuckles at this, from everyone except McGonagall and Moody.

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.**

**"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.**

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."**

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

**"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. **

"Well, Transfiguration is my best subject. It'd have to be considering..." James said to himself, forgetting he was in a room filled with people who didn't know about one of the Marauders' biggest secrets. Remus and Sirius were both giving him half anxious, half exasperated looks, whilst everyone looked on curiously.

"Considering what, Mr. Potter?" said McGonagall, sternly.

"Considering ... all the times we needed transfiguration for all our pranks around school. Like the time we turned all of Slughorn's sock into hula-dancing ferrets, and left them locked in his chambers. Or the time we turned the Slytherins common room red and gold, with the words Gryffindors Rule! glowing in the dark. Or the time..."

"Yes, thank you, that's quite enough." sighed McGonagall, but most were satisfied with this answer. It seemed perfectly logical that they would need to be at transfiguration, not to mention, most of their other subjects, to manage half of what they did whilst at school.

Only the Prewett twins were unconvinced. They knew a cleverly constructed half truth when they saw one. They'd had enough practise coming up with explanations of their own. They also noted that the three Marauders looked relieved that the others bought it. So, whatever they were hiding needed significant skill in transfiguration. They both stored this away to help them solve this.

**Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."**

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.**

**"And that's where..."**

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.**

**"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."**

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

"No offense Hagrid, but how did he not spot you before? I'm mean Hagrid's not exactly hard to miss." questioned Remus thoughtfully.

**"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteenbinches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

**"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

"Not the best thing to say, Hagrid." sighed Frank

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.**

**"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

"Oh no, of course not." James smirked.

**"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now - Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"**

**"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.**

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. **

"I never understood why they do that." said Sirius.

, "It is to measure the persons magical potential. Although, by taking as many measurements as he does, Ollivander not only finds the information he needs, but frees himself up for a bit of conversation as well." Albus explained, the ever-present twinkle sparkling brightly.

**As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."**

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

**"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave."**

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.**

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -"**

**Harry tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.**

**"No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."**

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

"He is a bit odd like that." said Alice.

"No, he just enjoys a challenge." replied Albus, smiling.

**"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. **

"That's the one then."

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. **

"Woo! Gryffindor colours!" cried Sirius.

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious... "**

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..**

**"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?" Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.**

**"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave you that scar."**

"WHAT!"

**Harry swallowed.**

**"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-**

**Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."**

"It's sounds like he admires him." said Fabian, distastefully.

"I think he just admires the magic." Lily reasoned.

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.**

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. **

"Yeah, that would have been a great sight for the muggles." chuckled Remus.

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.**

**"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said. He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

**"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.**

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life**

"That's really sad." Lily sighed.

**- and yet - he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words**

**.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night my parents died."**

Tension once again filled the room at this unsubtle reminder of what was to come all too soon.

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

**"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."**

"Thank you for being there for him, Hagrid." smiled Lily. James nodded, and smiled in agreement.

Hagrid bushed, but looked incredibly happy that he could be there for little Harry.

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.**

**"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Harry."**

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"Well, there you have it. That's the chapter done." said Gideon.

"All right, gimme!" cried Fabian.

Gideon clutched a hand to his chest, gasping dramatically. "My dearest brother..." he said between gasps, "volunteering... to read ..._ a book!"_

"Oh, just hand it over. I want to know what happens next." Fabian explained.

"Alright, if you insist."

Fabian eagerly opened the book, much to the astonishment of the rest of the room, and began.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	6. The Journey From Platform Nine and 34

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

"Alright! Harry's finally escaping." exclaimed Fabian.

"Well, we kind of figured that, but just to humour you, how do you know, oh wise one?" asked Alice.

"Cause the chapters called..."

**CHAPTER SIX**

**THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS**

**Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. **

"Was it ever fun there, honestly?" asked Remus.

**True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him - in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.**

"Sounds alright. Wish my parents had done that to me." said Sirius.

"Yeah, but it'd get a bit lonely after awhile." answered Lily.

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.**

"See."

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school books were very interesting. **

"No! Prongs, he's reading the textbooks, and _enjoying them!"_ cried Sirius. "The _History of Magic_ textbook at that."

"There's nothing wrong with reading." said Remus, sharply.

"Yeah. Besides, I did that too." Lily agreed.

"Maybe, but you and Moony are just weird that way." Sirius said, earning himself two sharp slaps to the back of the head.

"I think he's just trying to find out more about the magical world, and the History textbook can be a good way to do that. I'm sure it'll probably be the only time he opens that text. But there is nothing wrong with reading, when you find it interesting." said James slowly, trying to appease his wife, ad his best friend in the same answer. Unfortunately it didn't work, and he ended up cowering from his wife's death glare for saying he'll never open the book again, and Sirius' for saying there's nothing wrong with reading. James just sighed. Clearly, you can't have everything in life.

**He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. **

"That's a sign that she likes you, and knows you're her master." said Remus, trying not to laugh at James' face. It truly was hilarious.

**Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, **

"That's leaving it a little late isn't it?" asked Alice.

"Probably leaving it so they have less chance to say no." said Sirius, finally finished glaring at James.

**so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

**"Er - Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

**"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

"Wow. I didn't know he spoke troll." laughed Gideon.

**"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

**Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.**

"He should probably wait for a more vocal answer." said Marlene

**"Thank you."**

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

**"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"**

"No they're illegal." said Frank. "Honestly, he thought we'd go by flying carpet?"

**Harry didn't say anything.**

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

"Scotland."

**"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.**

**"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.**

**His aunt and uncle stared.**

**"Platform what?"**

**"Nine and three-quarters."**

**"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."**

"Yes there is!" sang Charlie.

"Yes, and Tuney knows it." said Lily, eyes narrowed.

**"It's on my ticket."**

**"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

**"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

"Don't bother Harry. Just get out of there while you can." said Remus.

**"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."**

"Nah. He should keep it. It'd be a conversation piece, if nothing else. Besides, you know it suits him." said James, laughingly.

**Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes - he'd change on the train. **

"Good idea."

**He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. **

**Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.**

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. **

"That's odd. Why would he do that?" asked Remus, eyes narrowing.

"He's probably just glad to be rid of Harry." sighed Arthur.

"Maybe, but somehow I don't think so." Remus replied.

**Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

**"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

"Of course they have. Like you said, it's in the middle." said Benji.

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. **

"Those gits! They left my eleven year old son, on his own, in the middle of London, and then _laughed about it?" _James started out in a deadly whisper, but ended up almost yelling. Lily looked murderous. Everyone in the room looked absolutely furious. Sirius and Remus sent Fabian and Gideon a look that clearly said "We need to up our revenge plans. They're far too kind so far!" The twins nodded their heads in agreement.

**Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. **

"That's not good." said Edgar.

**He'd have to ask someone.**

**He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. **

"Good idea."

**The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. **

**Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.**

"Yeah, that is a very suckish situation." said Sirius. Then glancing at Lily, he continued, "But I'm sure he'll be fine. After all, there's all of this book, and the six others to go, sounds like his seven years at Hogwarts. He'll be okay. He'll probably just find some wizards and ask them. I mean in the muggle world, we don't exactly blend in, do we?" Lily cheered up at that, and Remus looked gobsmacked as to how he just calmed her down. And with logic! It was unheard of.

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket**

**inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

"No! I thought Harry was supposed to have gained Lily's brains" Remus exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, the kid's just panicking. I guess that's when James' stupidity shines through." Sirius replied.

"Oi!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right, that does make sense. After all, the kid had to have gained some of James' genes."

"Oi!"

"Poor kid."

"OI! Knock it off!"

Everyone else in the room was chuckling at the Marauders' antics, except McGonagall and Moody, who were getting tired of the constant interruptions.

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"- packed with Muggles, of course -"**

"Wizards!"

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. **

"Now who does that sound like?" sang Gideon, whilst everyone turned and looked at the Weasley family. They themselves had been wondering why they were here. "I guess we have a part to play" thought Arthur.

"But where are you Arthur?" Molly asked, worried. She had found out she was going to be losing her brothers, she couldn't bear to lose anyone else she loved.

"I'm probably just at work dear." Arthur replied, soothingly.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him - and they had an owl. Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

"Why did you ask? It's not like it ever changes." asked Gideon, confused. Molly just shrugged. It didn't make sense to her either.

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... "**

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

"That's me!" cried Percy, excitedly. The adults just chuckled at the small boy's excitement.

**What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it - but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

**"Sorry, George, dear."**

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, **

"Yes!" Gideon and Fabian cheered, as Molly groaned. "They're living up to their fantastically brilliant uncles." Gideon continued.

"They've even got our favourite joke." Fabian added, and then looking at Molly, chuckled, "Come on Molly. You grew up with us, I'm sure you can handle them." Molly didn't look any more mollified, so he decided to keep reading.

**and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone - but how had he done it?**

**Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there - and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

**"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.**

**"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

"That's definitely Molly. She acts motherly to everyone she meets." laughed Gideon.

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.**

"Great description."

**"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to -"**

**"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded. "Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

"Thank you Molly." said Lily, looking much happier than she had in a while.

**"Er - okay," said Harry.**

**He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble - leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer and nearer - he wouldn't be able to stop - the cart was out of control - he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash -**

"There won't be a crash, Harry." chuckled Remus.

**It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.**

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.**

"Same every year." said James nostalgically.

**Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."**

**"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.**

"Why is Neville with your mother?" asked Alice, worriedly.

"Maybe we just ended up getting caught up in something at work." said Frank, though he too was anxious.

"Maybe." Neither of them was satisfied with this answer. Alice and Frank both knew they'd never not be there to see Neville off at the train, especially his on his first year. They were worried about what could have happened to them.

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

**"Give us a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

"That sounds brilliant!" exclaimed Sirius, "I wonder what it is."

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.**

"Ouch!" said Alice. She always managed to do that every year.

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.**

"At least they're polite." Molly said smiling.

**"Yes, please," Harry panted.**

**"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!"**

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.**

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.**

"Fred, it's rude to point." Molly scolded. Fred looked up, confused at the sound of his name, shrugged and carried on playing with the other boys.

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you**

**"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"Harry Potter, "chorused the twins.**

**"Oh, him," said Harry. **

"Oh him? See, there's Prongs' genes again." chuckled Sirius.

**"I mean, yes, I am."**

**The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

**"Fred? George? Are you there?"**

**"Coming, Mom."**

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.**

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. **

"Harry, it's rude to eavesdrop." Lily reprimanded.

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

**"Ron, you've got something on your nose."**

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.**

**"Mom - geroff" He wriggled free.**

**"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.**

**"Shut up," said Ron.**

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

**"He's coming now."**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.**

"Aww. Little Percy's a Prefect." Molly cooed, while Arthur smiled, and Bill and Charlie mimed throwing up behind their parents' backs. Ignoring them, Percy beamed at his parents.

**"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -"**

**"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."**

**"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once -"**

**"Or twice -"**

**"A minute -"**

**"All summer -"**

"We love those twins of yours Molly, Arthur." Gideon said, "They're just like their uncles." he continued proudly.

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

"We are so gonna start calling you that!" Bill exclaimed, while Charlie nodded in agreement. Percy groaned and his ears turned pink.

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

**"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

**"Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or -"**

"Bad move, Molly." Remus chuckled.

"Never give a prankster ideas." Sirius agreed.

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."**

"We have." James said, reminiscently, "We blew up five as a small part of our end of OWL's celebrations"

"I knew that was you four!" McGonagall said sternly, though the corner of her mouth twitched.

"Oh no, just me and Sirius. Remus and Wormy wouldn't, Remus wouldn't cause of his prefect badge, and Pete was in detention, because when we set of those fireworks in the Entrance Hall, he didn't run fast enough, and you put him in detention."

McGonagall just sighed.

**"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."**

"See?"

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

**"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."**

**"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

**"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"**

**Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.**

**"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"**

**"Who?"**

**"Harry Potter!"**

**Harry heard the little girl's voice.**

**"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, please..."**

"Sounds like someone has a crush." Sirius chuckled.

**"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"**

**"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."**

**"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."**

**"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"**

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.**

**"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."**

**"All right, keep your hair on."**

"Thank you Molly." Lily smiled.

**A whistle sounded.**

**"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.**

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."**

**"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."**

**"George!"**

**"Only joking, Mom."**

"Probably wasn't"

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.**

"It's gotta be hard being left behind." said James.

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.**

"Definitely."

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.**

"Oh, good. Maybe they'll make friends." smiled Lily.

**"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry.**

**"Everywhere else is full."**

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

**"Hey, Ron."**

**The twins were back.**

**"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."**

Fabian squeaked at reading the spider.

**"Right," mumbled Ron.**

**"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."**

**"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

**"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.**

"Nice and subtle." laughed Sirius.

**Harry nodded.**

**"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got - you know..."**

**He pointed at Harry's forehead.**

**Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

**"So that's where You-Know-Who**

"I told him not to ask about that!" Molly exclaimed.

"Technically, you only forbade the twins. You have to close all the loopholes." replied Remus.

**"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."**

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

"_Ron!"_

**"Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."**

**"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.**

**"Er - Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

The Prewetts all sighed sadly. Family was incredibly important to them, but their cousin was quite bitter over his lack of magic.

**"So you must know loads of magic already."**

"Not really. Like Hagrid said, everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts." Frank said.

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

"Old family. Yes. Murdering Death Eater scum like he was referring to. No. The Weasleys are good people." said Sirius, while the Weasleys beamed at him.

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

**"Horrible -well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy **

"Good on you!" said James.

**and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. **

"At least one of us has got our priorities in order." Charlie said. Bill just stuck his tongue out.

"Quidditch captain's great, but there's nothing wrong with being Head Boy either." James said. Bill and Charlie just stared at him. "What?" he said, defensively, "I was both."

"Really?" Bill asked.

"Yup. Despite the fact we all thought Dumbledore was off his rocker when he made James Head Boy, he really was good at the job. Till then, we didn't think it was possible to have a cool Head Boy. And despite the fact we still think it was a bit of a barmy move, Dumbledore really did know what he was doing with that. Everyone looked up to James, and no one had any problems coming to him with anything. He wasn't afraid to bend rules, or let minor things slide, but by that point he had grown up a bit and knew when things went too far." explained Remus.

"Thanks Moony."

"Okay, then I want to be a Head Boy like that. I want to be a cool Head Boy like James." Bill said. James beamed at him.

**Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. **

"Poor kid. With a family of high achievers, it's got to be hard to stand out. It sounds like he's got a bit of an inferiority complex." frowned Frank.

**You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."**

Arthur and Molly shuffled uncomfortably in their seats. Fabian saw this, and leaned over to Gideon, "We're leaving them money in our will." Gideon nodded.

"How did Ron get my wand? Wouldn't I still need it?" Charlie asked, confused.

"I'm not sure dear." Molly said.

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.**

**"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. **

The Marauders all glanced at each other, before shaking it off. It couldn't be.

**Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead."**

**Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.**

**Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

**"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort"**

**Ron gasped.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people -"**

"It's just a name!"

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

**"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."**

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"**

"Ah, the lunch trolley." sighed Sirius.

"Make sure you get some chocolate." Remus added. James and Sirius chuckled at this. "Moony, you and your chocolate." James sighed affectionately.

Remus didn't look remotely abashed. Everyone knew of his chocoholic tendencies.

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.**

**He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry - but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. **

What bars?" asked Elphias.

"Mars Bars. They're a muggle chocolate. Tasty, but eat too many and they become very sickly." explained Lily.

**What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans,**

"Be careful with them." warned Frank.

**Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, **

"Brilliant, until it gets in your hair." said James.

**Chocolate Frogs. **

"Yum." said Remus.

**Pumpkin Pasties, **

"They're alright." said Dedalus.

**Cauldron Cakes, **

"Personal preference. I'm not that keen." said Alice.

**Liquorice Wands, **

"We never ended up eating those, we used them to terrify the firsties in second year." laughed Sirius, until James elbowed him in the ribs. "Sirius is going to get me in a world of trouble" he thought, as Lily glared at him.

**and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

"That's a lot to spend on sweets." frowned Lily, "I hope it doesn't make him sick."

**Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.**

"He better share."

**"Hungry, are you?"**

**"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."**

"It's me that likes corned beef" said Charlie.

"I'll have to remember that." Molly frowned.

**"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on -"**

"That's kind of him." said Bill.

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

**"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

**"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.**

**"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."**

"I've got three of him." said Percy

**"What?"**

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

"Wow. That's one serious collection." said Sirius, wide eyed. "Sounds kind of like Moony's" Remus nodded. The amount of chocolate he ate, he did have one serious collection.

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. **

"Anyone want to guess who that is?" asked Gideon. Nobody answered. Everyone could recognise that description.

**Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

**"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.**

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks**

**Harry turned over his card and read:**

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS**

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, **

Dumbledore sighed.

**for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, **

"I did have help."

**and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. **

"Ah, Nicholas."

**Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

Everyone chuckled at this.

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

"What's so odd about that?" asked Sturgis.

**"He's gone!"**

**"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.**

**"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."**

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "weird!"**

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin.**

"How many did they eat?" asked Alice, astonished.

**He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.**

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey flavoured**

**one once."**

"I've had that one. It was gross!" said Sirius.

"Better than the vomit flavoured ones." shuddered Remus.

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.**

**"Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."**

"Sprouts aren't that bad." said Benji.

**They had a good time eating the Every Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.**

"That's not a bad selection." said James, nodding.

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three quarters came in. **

"Neville!" Alice said happily.

**He looked tearful.**

Her face fell.

**"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"**

**"He'll turn up," said Harry.**

"He's a kind boy."

**"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."**

**He left.**

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. **

"_Ron!"_

**"If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."**

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

The Marauders frowned.

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

**"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway**

**He had just raised his 'wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

**"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."**

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

**"Er - all right."**

**He cleared his throat.**

**"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

Everyone laughed at this. "I bed one of the twins gave him that." said Gideon, proudly.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.**

**"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you.**

Fabian tried to say all this in one breath, but couldn't quite manage it. "Merlin, she can talk." he gasped.

"Who learns all their course books by heart?" Sirius looked dumbfounded. "Even _Moony and Lily_ didn't do that!"

They looked at each other. "He's right, we didn't." Remus said.

"Nobody prepares that much." Lily added

**She said all this very fast.**

"Too right, she did" Fabian grumbled.

**Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.**

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

**"Harry Potter," said Harry.**

**"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course **

"How? She's a _muggle born! _Harry really must be famous." Edgar exclaimed.

– **I got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.**

"Ah, that explains it." Lily said.

"Yeah, but how much do you want to guess is true in those books?" James asked. Lily didn't answer.

**"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.**

**"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, **

"I was." Albus smiled.

**but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.**

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. **

"Ron, that is unkind." Molly frowned.

"I dunno, I hope she's not. That way we won't have to hear about her so much." Sirius whispered to James and Remus. They just nodded their heads in agreement.

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."**

"'Course he did!" laughed Gideon.

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.**

**"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. **

"We'd be proud of you wherever you went." said Arthur.

**I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."**

"That wouldn't make him evil, just sly and cunning." Lily said. "Can be very good traits to have."

**"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"**

Bill and Charlie perked up at this, interested.

**Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, **

"Woo! Dragons! Awesome!" Charlie cheered, as Molly groaned, and Bill, Percy, and Arthur chuckled at Charlie's reaction. He really was obsessed with dragons.

**and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," **

"That doesn't sound very interesting." Bill frowned.

"Depends what you're doing. In Egypt, I'd assume you'd be s curse breaker for them, and you'd get to work in the tombs." Sirius explained.

"Oh, okay." Bill smiled, "That sounds quite interesting." he said cheerfully.

Molly however was frowning. She didn't like the idea of her sons so far away. She had wanted them in the Ministry like their father.

**said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles - someone tried to rob a high security vault."**

"What!"

"Who'd be mad enough to try and rob Gringotts?" asked Sirius, "Even _I'm _not that mental."

"So you admit you're mental then?" asked Remus, amusedly.

"No, I'm not mental, I'm just sanity challenged."

"Of course." Remus replied, nodding his head seriously.

"And besides, it's by choice. Life's no fun without a little craziness. I could act sane if I wanted to. I just don't want to." Sirius said smiling.

"You keep telling yourself that."

**Harry stared.**

**"Really? What happened to them?"**

"They got caught. D'uh."

**"Nothing, **

"_What!"_

**that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."**

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.**

"Then just call him Voldemort. Oh, come on." James added when people flinched again, "It's just a name. You're giving him power over you if you can't even say his name. Which is exactly what he wants of course."

"Well said, Mr. Potter." Albus smiled.

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

**"Er - I don't know any," Harry confessed.**

"Support any you want, as long as it's not the Cannons." Remus chuckled, knowing what was coming.

"Oi! The Cannons will turn around any day now, you'll see." Sirius glared.

"Yeah, you've been saying that for the last ten years Pads." James laughed at his friend's undying devotion to the awful team.

**"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.**

"Please don't be who I think it is." Lily pleaded.

**Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

"Because he actually knows who Harry is now." said Remus scathingly.

**"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

**"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.**

**"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," **

"Yup, Death Eater kids." said Alice.

**said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

"Of course. It's my lovely cousin." Sirius said bitterly.

"Your cousin?" asked Alice.

"Yeah, my cousin Narcissa married Lucius Malfoy a few years back, and by the sounds of it, this is their son. The description fits."

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.**

**"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."**

The room exploded with defamations on the Malfoys' characters, and extreme support of the Weasleys, while Bill and Charlie added yet more words to their ever growing list of swear words.

**He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.**

"Good!"

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.**

"You tell him Harry."

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.**

"Wow. I've never seen a Malfoy blush. That's something I'm going to work for!" exclaimed Sirius.

**"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. **

"Excuse me! Where does the arrogant little sod get off saying things like that?" Alice exclaimed. Remus and Sirius were grinding their teeth, resisting the urge to go and curse a one year old.

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."**

"I'd rather my son hang with the Weasleys and Hagrid. They're all wonderful people, and actually have a moral compass, rather than the Death Eater scum you hang round with!" snarled James. Molly smiled at him.

**Both Harry and Ron stood up.**

**"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.**

**"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.**

"That's the Gryffindor way!" smiled Sirius.

**"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."**

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.**

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they**

**thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

"Yay." sighed Gideon.

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

**I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-"**

**And so he had.**

**"You've met Malfoy before?"**

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." **

"He didn't. He's a known Death Eater. Clearly the Ministry, corrupt as it is, let him buy his way out." Moody growled.

"Of course. If they lock away the murdering bastard, they lose a big source of income." Remus scowled.

"How many Death Eaters do you think they'll let get away with that?" asked Alice.

"A lot. The old pureblood families are the ones in our community with the money and the power. And most of them are in league with Voldemort's whole line up. Look at Sirius' family. The only ones that aren't supportive of Voldemort are him and his cousin Andromeda, and both of them have been disowned, Sirius because he was a Gryffindor, supportive of muggles, and finally had enough and ran away, and Andie because she married for love and married a muggle born. The rest of them think Voldemort's got the right idea with the eradication of muggles and muggle borns, and will use their money and power to support him. Of course, you'll get ones like Bellatrix, Sirius' cousin, who won't lie about their support, and will more than likely go to Azkaban for him, but most would lie and say they were under the Imperius Curse, and will give them a load of gold in some donation, as a supposed "atonement for their mistakes" and will get off scot free." James explained.

Everyone looked disgusted.

"Well, as fascinating as this history lesson on my family has been, can we get back to the book?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius Black is actually _asking_ to read a book?" chuckled Frank. Most people laughed at this.

"I don't like talking about my so-called 'family'" Sirius scowled. Everyone shut up after that.

James and Remus each put a hand on his shoulders, and James said "Come on Sirius, you ran away from that inbred mad house at sixteen. They're not a part of your life anymore."

"Yeah Pads, we're your family now." Remus agreed. Sirius smiled. Everyone was impressed by this display of how strong their friendship really was.

James motioned for Fabian to keep reading.

**He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"**

**"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. **

"Might be because they're children, lovey." said Marlene.

**"And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.**

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."**

"Is that a recording, or do they make the guy say it every year. Because otherwise, that's got to be a really boring job, just saying that once a year." laughed Sturgis.

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years**

**over here! All right there, Harry?"**

"Hagrid!" cheered the pranksters.

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

**"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

"Poor Neville." sighed Alice.

**"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!"**

"Same ev'ry year." Hagrid chuckled.

"Well, it is an amazing sight." Lily said. There was a murmur of agreement as everyone drifted off, staring into space, remembering their first time seeing it.

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

**"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. **

"That's unfortunate." sighed Gideon.

"What's unfortunate about having to share a boat with my son?" asked Alice acidly, glaring at him.

"Not him, the Granger girl." he said quickly. Women were terrifying.

**"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

**"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; **

"Why do they have to bend their heads though? I mean, no offense Hagrid, but you're a hell of a lot bigger than the first years, and nothing happens to you." asked Edgar.

"We know." said Remus, as Hagrid opened his mouth to answer, "In our first year, these two idiots weren't listening, and so didn't bother. They got caught in the sheet of ivy, and pulled out of the boat into the lake. Then, for good measure, of course, had to drag me and Pete into the lake with them. We had to swim to the doors." Everyone was laughing at this, as the two black-haired marauders flushed red.

**they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.**

**"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

"Thanks Hagrid." said Frank.

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.**

**"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"**

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"That's the end of the chapter." said Fabian. He handed the book over to Marlene.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	7. The Sorting Hat

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Marlene began,

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**THE SORTING HAT**

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

"She's not." said James, the other pranksters nodding in agreement.

"Then why, pray tell, did you do it so often." Asked McGonagall.

"It was necessary." said Sirius.

"Necessary?" asked McGonagall, sceptically.

"Think of it this way professor. With the war going on, and everyone losing so much, generally it was quite depressing. All of our pranks had the desired effect of cheering people up, and helping them forget the atrocities going on outside the castle." Remus explained, James, Sirius, and the Prewett twins nodding seriously. A lot of their pranks were like that. The added bonus of humiliating the Slytherins was just an added bonus.

"Really?" McGonagall had never thought of this, but it did make sense. The Marauders, nor the twins, who were a few years ahead of them, were ever malicious in their pranks, and they did give the students a morale boost. She wasn't going to admit that to them though. "So, how did cursing every Slytherin you come across help with that." She asked, determined to catch them out.

"Simple." James explained, "It was hilarious, and everyone except Lily and the teachers thought so."

McGonagall huffed.

"But you did grow out of that, didn't you?" Lily glared.

"Of course, sweetheart." James gulped.

**"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

**"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.**

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.**

"And here it comes." James smiled.

"The sorting speech." Sirius chuckled.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses." said James.

"The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like you family." continued Sirius.

"You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." Remus said.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards." Gideon laughed.

"While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." said Fabian, smiling.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." James finished. McGonagall looked gobsmacked. How had they memorised her entire speech. Everyone was looking at them curiously, very sure, by the look on McGonagall's face, that they were at least very close.

Marlene began again,

**"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. **

"**The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.**

**"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."**

McGonagall was beet red. Everyone just looked at the pranksters in the room. They looked smug.

"How on earth did you lot memorize that?" Lily asked astonished.

"She says the same speech every year." Sirius answered.

"But you only hear it once." said Benji.

"Not if you see her practising it every year." James smiled.

"Why would you see me practicing it? You don't see me before the sorting." McGonagall asked.

"Not when you want to say hi to your favourite professor, before lessons start. We don't get to during transfiguration." James said, simply. The transfiguration professor looked mollified, and smiled at her favourite students.

"Besides, would you really want to see us for the first time after the summer when we've been sent to you for detention?" asked Sirius. She frowned at that.

Marlene read,

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, **

"How did that happen?" asked Alice.

**and on Ron's smudged nose. **

"That's still there." chuckled Arthur.

**Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.**

"Will never work. Potter hair is untameable." said James.

**"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."**

**She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.**

**"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.**

"You try on a hat." said Frank.

**"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."**

"Ron needs to stop listening to the twins." Lily frowned.

"If they're anything like their uncles, they tell the truth enough that people don't know when they're joking." said Gideon, happily.

Molly groaned. "Just what we need, another version of you two." But she was smiling. She was always incredibly fond of her brothers.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet - what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.**

**He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. **

**He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.**

"Little melodramatic your son, isn't he." Sirius chuckled.

**Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind him screamed.**

"Here come the ghosts." Remus laughed.

**"What the -?"**

**He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.**

**What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"**

"Peeves."

**"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?"**

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.**

**Nobody answered.**

**"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few people nodded mutely.**

**"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."**

**"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."**

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.**

**"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.**

**Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.**

**These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.**

**The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."**

"What books hasn't that girl read?" asked Emmaline.

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

**Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.**

Lily caught the looks on the pranksters' faces. "You are not stealing the Sorting Hat to aid your pranks on my sister" she said sternly. They all looked down, disappointed.

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing - noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:**

**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

"That makes you want to find a smarter hat doesn't it?" asked Sirius.

"Reckon we can?" asked James.

"We'll keep our eyes open for one."

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry **

**Set Gryffindors apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true **

**And unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**if you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

"That's a lot nicer than the ones we had." said Remus.

"Yeah, the hat kept giving us those warnings: "Stand together, be united." all that stuff." said Sirius.

"In general, we're not too bad at that. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, are pretty united, we just suck at sticking with the Slytherins." said Alice.

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

**"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

"What first year could fight a troll?!" Lily exclaimed.

**Harry. smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.**

"That'd be the one for everyone. Everybody's always terrified at the sorting." said Remus.

"I know I was" muttered Sirius.

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

**"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"**

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.**

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

**"Bones, Susan!"**

"Isn't that your niece, Edgar" asked Emmaline. Edgar nodded, smiling, glad to know that some of his family survived.

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

**"Boot, Terry!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. " Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender"**

**became the first new Gryffindor, **

The pranksters cheered.

**and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

**"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. **

"It's not your imagination." said Sirius, "It's all the inbreeding."

**He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.**

"That's awful." sighed Lily.

**"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

**"Granger, Hermione!"**

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

"Who's _that_ eager at the sorting?" asked Alice.

**"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.**

**A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train?**

"In all my time at Hogwarts, that has never happened." smiled McGonagall.

**When Neville Longbottom, **

The Longbottoms leaned forward.

**the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. **

"Sounds like he's got your klutziness, Alice." Frank smiled.

**The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."**

"You can't blame that on me, you did that as well." Alice told Frank smugly.

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

**There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last - "Potter, Harry!"**

**As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

**"Potter, did she say?"**

**The Harry Potter?"**

**The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.**

**Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"**

"Gryffindor." the Marauders said.

**Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.**

"I didn't know you could argue with the hat." said Lily shocked.

"I guess there's a first time for everything." said Remus.

**"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure - better be GRYFFINDOR!"**

"YES!" the Marauder yelled. Lily smiled, and even McGonagall was happy. Everyone was smiling at this.

**Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" **

"Molly, Arthur, I love those twins of yours." said James.

**Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.**

"I hate it when they do that." Sirius shuddered.

**He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. **

"I didn't realise it was quite so bright." Albus chuckled.

**Harry spotted Professor Quirell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.**

"That's weird."

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"**

Bill, Charlie and Percy all cheered with their uncles, while their parents smiled proudly.

**Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him.**

**"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

**Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.**

"Nothing does."

**"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"**

All the former students chuckled in appreciation of their headmasters' humour.

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.**

"It's better to laugh." said James.

**"Is he - a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.**

"Absolutely." Sirius said, "But that just adds to the brilliance of him."

"Thank you, Mr. Black." Albus smiled.

**"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"**

**Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.**

"They're there because Dumbledore really likes them." said Sirius. Albus chuckled, and nodded.

**The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, **

"I think you need to redefine starved, Harry." frowned James. He was going to make sure that Harry never had to live with those people.

**but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. **

"Git."

**Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.**

**"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak,**

**"Can't you -?"**

**I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. **

"Which is why Sirius will never become a ghost." laughed Remus.

**I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."**

**"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

"Who's going to ask it this year?" sighed Lily.

**"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.**

**"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"**

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.**

"Oh, it is. He loves being asked that." chuckled Sirius.

**"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! **

"No!" yelled all the Gryffindor students in the room. Even McGonagall looked miffed.

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."**

**Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

"Good."

**"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.**

**"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

"We did. Didn't tell us though." sighed Sirius.

"Sirius, how could you ask something like that." Lily asked, shocked.

"Actually Lily, most ghosts are pretty open about their deaths. They don't mind, and are generally quite pleased when people ask. It's rare when you don't get an answer" James said, soothingly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, and if you get on good terms with the ghosts, you can find out practically anything going on in the school." James continued.

"Mmm. The ghosts are the biggest gossips in the school, second only to the portraits." chuckled Sirius.

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding - "**

"Yum. Can we eat soon?" asked Sirius. Everyone chuckled at Sirius' bottomless stomach.

**As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.**

**"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."**

"That wasn't nice. That could've ended badly." Lily said, thinking of Severus. "People have a right to know who they're marrying."

**The others laughed.**

**"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

**"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," **

Frank and Alice blanched at this. Everyone looked at them fearfully. Frank pulled Alice close to him, and sighed, "I guess we know why we weren't at the platform then." Alice turned into his chest, tears streaming down her face. Everyone was very down at this. How many people in this room were going to make it through this war?

Looking at everyone's faces, Sirius said, "Guys, remember, we were sent these books so that we would have a chance to change the future. Don't borrow tomorrow's grief. We'll mourn for those we lose when or if the time comes." Everyone cheered up at this, and several looked a little surprised at Sirius' wisdom.

**said Neville, "but the family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned –**

Everyone looked astonished at this level of stupidity and recklessness.

"Frank, remind me to have serious words with your uncle." Alice glared.

"Don't worry, I'll be there." Frank replied, frowning.

**but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. **

"Thank Merlin for that." Frank sighed.

"We are never letting your uncle babysit." Alice said, angrily.

**They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. **

"She was probably happy he hadn't killed him." Alice said, scathingly.

**And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."**

**On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing - ").**

**Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, **

"No way." James frowned.

**a hooked nose, **

"Can't be." Sirius said.

**and sallow skin.**

"Professor, please tell us you didn't hire that greasy git." they both said. Lily slapped the back of James' head.

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.**

"What the..."

**"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.**

**"What is it?" asked Percy.**

**"N-nothing."**

"That's not nothing." Remus frowned.

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look - a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.**

"My fault." sighed James. "He's going to make Harry's life a living hell."

"He might not." Lily said, hopefully. "He's my son too."

"We'll see." James replied sadly. James knew how much Lily missed her old friend, but also knew that because Harry looked just like him, there was no way Snape was going to be nice.

**"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy. **

**"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. **

The Marauders groaned. They had known it was Snape since his description, but were holding onto the hope that someone else just happened to have that description.

**He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."**

"Too right he does." Sirius muttered bitterly.

**Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.**

**"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.**

**"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."**

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

Molly groaned, whilst the pranksters chuckled.

"Funnily enough, I seem to remember you glancing our way with that one professor." the Marauders chuckled.

"Us too." said Gideon.

"Glad to see our nephews are living up to our fantastic reputations." Fabian smiled.

**"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.**

"Nobody ever listens to that rule." Emmaline laughed

**"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.**

**"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."**

"That one's new." Frank frowned.

**Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.**

**"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.**

**"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."**

"I don't tell the prefects everything." smiled Albus, while Percy blushed. His brothers were laughing at him, and truth be told, even he could see how big headed this sounded.

**"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

"Why, don't you like it, Minerva?" Albus asked. She just ignored him, and gestured for Marlene to continue.

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.**

**"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"**

**And the school bellowed:**

**"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,**

**Teach us something please,**

**Whether we be old and bald**

**Or young with scabby knees,**

**Our heads could do with filling**

**With some interesting stuff,**

**For now they're bare and full of air,**

**Dead flies and bits of fluff,**

**So teach us things worth knowing,**

**Bring back what we've forgot,**

**just do your best, we'll do the rest,**

**And learn until our brains all rot.**

The Marauders and the Prewett twins were all singing along with this, while everyone laughed at their antics.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.**

"That's what we did." cried the twins.

**Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.**

**"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. **

"Which is why everyone always gets lost their first few days." Remus smiled.

"You know, a map would be handy for the first years, Albus." McGonagall said.

"Nah, getting lost is part of the Hogwarts traditions." said Benji. Only the Prewett twins noticed the smug smiles on the Marauders' faces. They stored this away as well; unsure it had anything to do with Sirius' dog obsession, cat aversion, and their need for brilliant transfiguration skills.

**They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.**

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.**

**"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself"**

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

**"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

Sirius sighed, "Pulling out the Baron card already."

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.**

**"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

**"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. **

"Poor Neville." sighed Alice.

**They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.**

**"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."**

"A piece of advice, Percy." Remus said, "If you do become a prefect, you need to be able to let some things slide, and don't take all the rules too seriously. Know where to draw the line, but also know where to let things go and have some fun. Prefects need to be approachable; otherwise no one will want to come to you for help with anything." Percy nodded at this, and vowed to remember it. He was a big follower of the rules, but he wanted to be able to help within the school, and couldn't do that if no one wanted his help.

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

**"Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it - Neville needed a leg up - and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. **

"Only five. Wow. This war really has cost a lot of lives." Sirius frowned. "There were twelve boys in our year.

**Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pyjamas and fell into bed.**

**" Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."**

The Marauders frowned at that. Pete did that too. Especially in rat form.

**Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once.**

**Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it -then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.**

James frowned, "That _was_ a weird dream."

Sirius shrugged, "I've had weirder."

**He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.**

"That's it." said Marlene.

"Before we start again, shall we go and have some dinner, and stretch our legs a while. We've been sat reading these books all day." Albus asked.

"That's a good idea, sir." said Lily. The respective parents went to collect their children, and then everyone went down to get some food.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	8. The Potions Master

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

When they returned to the room of requirement, James transfigured the children's play pen into a magically expanded cot, for most of the children had fallen asleep. Harry, Ron, Neville and the twins, were placed into the cot, while Arthur conjured a smaller cot for baby Ginny, as Molly was worried about her getting squashed by the older boys. Percy, Charlie and Bill sat down at the table, Percy in his father's lap again, and the adults all took their places around the table.

Dedalus picked up the book and began,

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**THE POTIONS MASTER**

"Oh, great, a whole chapter devoted to that greasy git." sighed Sirius, as Lily glared at him. James was dying to agree with this sentiment, but wisely bit his tongue.

**There, look."**

**"Where?"**

**"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

**"Wearing the glasses?"**

**"Did you see his face?"**

**"Did you see his scar?"**

"Haven't they got better things to do?" huffed Lily.

**Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring.**

**Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.**

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: **

"Someone actually counted them?!" asked Alice astonished.

**wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, **

"Like the kitchens, you tickle the pear." Remus smiled.

**and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armour could walk.**

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"We taught him that!" cried the twins, smirking.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. **

"Awesome!" the Marauders and the twins yelled.

"Maybe Ron'll be like us as well!" said Gideon, smiling.

"And it looks like Harry'll be a mini Marauder." Sirius told James. Lily, Molly and McGonagall all groaned.

"Why is it Gryffindor that gets all the pranksters." asked McGonagall, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Because you need courage to face your formidable wrath." said James. McGonagall glared at him.

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. **

"Sweet!"

**He wouldn't believe they were lost, **

"Oh." the pranksters all looked disappointed at this, much to everyone else's amusement.

**was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

"That's lucky."

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. **

"That cat's still alive!" Sirius cried, "There you go professor, proof of demon cats!" he continued triumphantly. McGonagall said nothing. It was no secret that she hated that cat.

**She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. **

"How does he move so bloody fast?"

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) **

The Prewett twins cheered, whilst the Marauders yelled, "And us!"

"And how are you so sure that you know the school so well." McGonagall asked, frowning.

"Because, if you're going to pull as many stunts, and break as many rules as we did, you need a good knowledge of the castle. Otherwise, you'd never see outside of detention. You need to know your way around for a good escape route." James explained.

**and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

"I've done that." the pranksters, and surprisingly, Frank. They looked at him curiously. "What?" He asked, "I hate that bloody cat!"

The pranksters cheered. "Alright Frank. We'll corrupt you yet!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Oh, Merlin, help me" Frank sighed.

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.**

"Just a bit." Remus chuckled.

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.**

**Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

"Ah, Professor Flitwick." Lily sighed, fondly.

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, **

McGonagall smiled smugly.

**she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

The pranksters opened their mouths, but Lily interrupted them, "Guys, we don't need you to repeat every speech Professor McGonagall gives throughout the years."

They all frowned, and James said, "We only memorise them, cause they're some of the only good things worth remembering, and McGonagall's our favourite teacher." to much agreement of the others. McGonagall smiled at her favourite students.

**"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

"We were warned, and you always let us come back." said Sirius.

McGonagall smiled, "While the stunts you pulled were annoying, you were never cruel with your jokes, and I've always been very fond of you lot." The Marauders beamed proudly, happy to get the praise of their favourite teacher. "Also, a lot of your pranks did display some truly fantastic transfiguration skills, something I wasn't able to praise you for whilst reprimanding you." The Marauders chuckled.

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.**

**After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.**

"I did that, and I never got a smile." James huffed.

"That may be because you managed to get detention ten minutes into my class, Mr. Potter."

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. **

"Wonderful." said Sirius. "They're gonna have a lot to catch up next year."

**His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story.**

"I wouldn't." Remus frowned.

**For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; **

"Then it's not true. Good defence teachers are always willing to share their stories." said Frank.

**for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

**Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.**

"It took them a week!" Sirius said. "We had that nailed in two days."

Everyone looked astonished at that.

"Two days!" Benji said, "It took me two _weeks!"_

**"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.**

**"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them - we'll be able to see if it's true."**

"It'll be true." Remus sighed.

**"Wish McGonagall favoured us." said Harry. **

"Keep dreaming, Harry." Sirius chuckled. "She never favours anyone."

"Oh I dunno," James said, smiling, "She's an old Gryffindor at heart, no matter how impartial she tries to be."

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

**Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters**

**and packages onto their laps.**

**Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto**

**Harry's plate. **

**Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:**

**Dear Harry,**

**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?**

**I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.**

**Hagrid**

"Thank you for being there for him Hagrid." Lily said kindly. Hagrid blushed but smiled, he was happy about that too.

**Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.**

James just sighed. He knew whatever was coming was his fault.

**At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. **

"Huh?" said Sirius.

**Snape didn't dislike Harry **

"See, I knew he wouldn't hold a grudge against my son, just because of you." Lily smiled. James frowned, sure there was more coming, and gestured for Dedalus to keep reading.

**- he hated him.**

"Ah, that makes more sense." Remus said. Lily sighed. She had really hoped that her old friend would have at least been somewhat decent to her son. James put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.**

**"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."**

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. **

"Harry, stop comparing the greasy git to the awesome people we love." Sirius groaned.

**They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

**"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

"Yeah, but we do it for her because she's a good teacher, and we respect and like her. He's doing it with fear." James growled.

**"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"That was a great speech until the dunderheads part." Marlene frowned.

**More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

**"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"That's a _sixth year potion."_ Lily's eyes flashed.

**Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.**

"Whoa. She must have some advanced textbooks if she knows that." Remus said, with raised eyebrows.

**"I don't know, sir," said Harry.**

**Snape's lips curled into a sneer.**

**"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."**

**He ignored Hermione's hand.**

**"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"**

"That's first year, but not until the third term." Frank frowned.

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.**

"Bet they don't know either." Alice said, scathingly.

**"I don't know, sir." **

**"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming eh, Potter?"**

"Git."

**Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?**

"No, he's just trying to humiliate you." Sirius growled.

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.**

**"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"**

"Trick question." Lily said, "They're the same."

By this point, everyone was glaring at the book.

**At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.**

**"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"**

"And there's Lily's cheek." Alice chuckled.

"Yeah, but I don't think he'll appreciate that." Lily frowned.

**A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.**

**"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"**

"Because you didn't tell them to." McGonagall said angrily. She wouldn't take any nonsense in her class, but she was at least fair, and didn't purposely humiliate her students.

**There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."**

"Ah, that's not so bad. At least he earned that." said Marlene.

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. **

"Of course." scowled James.

**Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. **

**He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. **

"Seems Neville's got my talents for potions." sighed Frank, as Alice chuckled.

**Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils**

**sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

**"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, **

"Oi!" Alice snarled, "Don't call my son an idiot!"

**clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

**"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron,**

"Of course." Sirius scowled, "Now the greasy git's going to blame them."

**who had been working next to Neville.**

**"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? **

"Maybe because he was working on his own potion?" Remus glared.

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."**

"Git. You really have to hold a grudge for about twenty years, and then take it out on a boy who's made no offence on you. He really is bitter and pathetic." Normally Lily would have reprimanded James for this, but she was livid at the way her old school friend was treating her son.

**This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.**

**"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

"Good advice. If he's anything like the Snape we knew, nasty is an understatement." Remus scowled.

"And by the looks of this, he's gotten worse." Sirius growled.

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week **

"That's really sweet. He's worried about two points." Lily cooed.

"Yeah, how many did we lose in our first week?" James asked.

"About eighty." Sirius replied.

"Thank Merlin we were so brilliant in our lessons, or we'd have never won all the points we lost back." smiled Remus.

**- why did Snape hate him so much? **

"Me. Sorry Harry." James sighed. He never would've liked Snape, but he never imagined that his bullying Snape would've hurt his son.

**"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"**

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang - back."**

"Oh, Miffy would've passed on then." Lily said. Hagrid sighed sadly.

"I know I should feel bad, but Miffy was a right foul beast." Sirius muttered to the other Marauders, who nodded. Everyone knew of Hagrid's backwards naming of his pets.

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

**"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

**"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

**"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

**"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. **

Molly and Arthur glanced at each other. Maybe Ron's apparent insecurities weren't groundless. They'd have to make sure that isn't the case.

**I spend half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."**

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first -lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.**

**Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git."**

Everyone chuckled at this.

**"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Fitch puts her up to it."**

**Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

"Then why is he a teacher?" asked Molly.

**"But he seemed to really hate me."**

**"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.**

"Yeah, I wouldn't think he would. Hagrid knows all about what went on between James and Snape."

**"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot - great with animals."**

"Cheers Hagrid." said Charlie.

"Great subject change Hagrid." Sirius chuckled.

**Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

Everyone perked up at this.

**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**

**"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.**

**Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

**There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

"He's good at putting the pieces together." Moody growled approvingly.

"I'm just hoping he doesn't keep looking into this." Lily said.

**As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. **

The pranksters chuckled at that. "Don't tell them that kiddo." Sirius laughed, as McGonagall frowned.

**Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? **

"Yep."

**Where was it now? **

"Probably Hogwarts."

**And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?**

"Absolutely." Remus laughed.

"That's the end of the chapter." said Dedalus.

"Okay. Gimme." said Edgar.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	9. The Midnight Duel

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Edgar began,

**CHAPTER NINE**

**THE MIDNIGHT DUEL**

**Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy. **

"That's impressive. He's got ten years worth of hatred aimed at Dudley, and he's only known Malfoy a few weeks at most. That kid's got to be downright foul." said Alice.

**Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. **

"That's good at least." Remus smiled.

**Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan.**

**Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.**

**"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."**

"Yeah right, Harry." James chuckled, "You'll be fantastic." thinking about Harry on his broomstick now.

"Unless he inherited my flying talent." Lily reminded him. James blanched, and gestured for Edgar to read on, terrified of what might come.

**He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

**"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."**

"I wouldn't be too sure." Sirius said darkly, "Malfoy's probably been flying around all his life. He probably is decent."

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. **

"Okay. Good he may be, but I'm not buying that." Remus frowned.

**He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. **

"More believable."

**Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom.**

"Sorry Ron, I don't believe that." chuckled Bill, as Charlie scowled, and vowed to hide his broom when they got home.

**Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.**

Everyone chuckled at this.

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, **

"Hey!" Alice frowned.

**because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.**

"Oh. I guess that makes sense if he's got Alice's clumsiness."

**Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that she hadn't tried. **

"Of course she had." laughed James.

**At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. **

"One of the only books worth reading, that." said Sirius.

"Oh yeah, what's another." asked Remus, knowing Sirius' aversion to reading.

"Flying With The Cannons." he said loyally.

Remus sighed at this.

**Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.**

**Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, **

"Why aren't we writing to him?" Sirius asked Remus.

"Probably because he doesn't know we exist, Pads." They both sighed, unhappy that they weren't able to be a part of Harry's life.

**something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. **

"Git."

"Bill, watch your language!"

**Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened**

**gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

"Prat!"

"Charlie!"

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.**

**"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things – this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "You've forgotten something..."**

"Useless bloody things." said Alice, "They tell you you've forgotten something, not what you've forgotten."

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.**

"Oi!" the Longbottoms yelled.

**Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.**

"Years of practice." she smirked at all the pranksters, who were all looking a bit disgruntled, knowing that had happened to them on many occasions.

**"What's going on?"**

**"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."**

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.**

**"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

"Of course you were." Alice said scathingly.

**At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.**

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.**

All the Quidditch nuts in the room shuddered at the state of the school brooms, James being the most noticeable.

**Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.**

**"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."**

**Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.**

**"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"'**

**"UP!" everyone shouted.**

**Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, **

"Wow. Harry's going to be a brilliant flier." James said, beaming with pride.

**but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and**

**Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.**

"That's an interesting theory." Emmaline murmured.

**Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.**

"Hah. Take that Malfoy." Sirius said.

**"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – three - two -"**

**But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.**

"Oh, Neville." Alice sighed.

**"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and - WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass**

"Is he okay?" Alice asked worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine. Madam Pomfrey can fix all the serious Quidditch injuries in a trice. She'll have sorted out in no time." Frank said, soothingly.

**in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.**

**Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. **

"See nothing too serious. She'll mend it in a heartbeat." said Frank.

**"Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."**

**She turned to the rest of the class.**

**"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."**

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.**

**No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.**

"Git."

**"Did you see his face, the great lump?"**

**The other Slytherins joined in.**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.**

**"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."**

**"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.**

**"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.**

"Oh, don't start fighting Harry." Lily groaned, while the pranksters all leaned in eagerly to find out what happened.

**Malfoy smiled nastily.**

**"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"**

**"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"**

**Harry grabbed his broom.**

"Come on Harry!" Sirius cheered.

**"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."**

**Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him -and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being**

**taught - this was easy, this was wonderful. **

"Yes! He's a natural!" James cried.

**He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.**

"He didn't expect Harry to be able to fly well with being raised by muggles." Remus said, smugly.

**"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!" **

**"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

**Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. **

"He sounds brilliant." the twins murmured.

**A few people below were clapping.**

**"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.**

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**

**"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.**

"No way will he be able to catch that." Charlie sighed.

**Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. **

"Don't you dare, Harry. You could break your neck trying something that dangerous." Lily said sternly, glaring at the book.

**He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down - next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball - wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching - he stretched out his hand - a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.**

"Whoa." was murmured throughout the room. Until...

"He's bloody fantastic!" James yelled.

**"HARRY POTTER!"**

"Busted." Bill chuckled.

**His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling.**

**"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts -" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "- how dare you - might have broken your neck -"**

"Thank you! At least someone's talking sense." said Lily.

"You know, it took us a lot to make her that speechless." Sirius mumbled.

"Just goes to show how amazing my son is." James answered.

"He's got a point, to get her to that point; we had to stick half the Slytherins to the ceiling of their common room. Took them two days to get them down." Remus muttered.

**"It wasn't his fault, Professor -"**

**"Be quiet, Miss Patil**

**"But Malfoy -"**

"Come on, professor. You always hear everyone out." Sirius said.

**"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."**

**Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. **

"Oh, Harry, you won't be expelled. At most you'll get detention and lose some points." Remus smiled.

**What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep? Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.**

"Wow, he's melodramatic." Marlene chuckled.

**Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.**

**"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"**

**Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?**

"What!" McGonagall was shocked, and not a little bit hurt that one of her students could think that of her. "I would never-"

"We know, professor." Alice said. "Harry clearly doesn't know you very well yet."

"Lils, for your sister's sake, she better hope that's not a conditioned response." James glared.

"For my sisters sake, she, nor her husband, had ever had layed a finger on Harry." She replied, looking stony.

**But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.**

**"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.**

"What is going on?"

**"In here."**

**Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

**"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.**

**"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."**

"What!"

"In first year." Everyone was flabbergasted. James and Sirius had run over and hugged McGonagall, all the while muttering things like "Brilliant", "Seeker", and "First year."

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.**

**"Are you serious, Professor?"**

**"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"**

**Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.**

**"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."**

Charlie huffed.

"And Charlie was Quidditch captain as well." Remus said. And then catching sight of the look on Charlie's face, continued, "Charlie, if Professor McGonagall is using you as an example, you must be brilliant." This cheered him up some.

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.**

**"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.**

**"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained. **

**"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."**

"Get the Nimbus, it sounds way better." Bill said, enthusiastically.

**I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. **

"Quidditch is the only thing you're -" Gideon said.

" - Willing to break rules for Professor." Fabian finished.

**Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, **

Everyone groaned.

**I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."**

"Why would you want to?" said Sirius.

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.**

**"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."**

**Then she suddenly smiled.**

"This is getting scary." said Sirius. McGonagall huffed.

**"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."**

"Cheers, Professor!" James grinned.

**"You're joking."**

"No, I was brilliant!" James said, touchily.

"Yet, how you ever got off the ground with the weight of your ego, we'll never know." laughed Remus, good naturedly.

"I think it's a different paragraph boys." Lily chuckled.

"Oh."

**It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.**

**"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never - you must be the youngest house player in about..." **

"**-a century, said Harry, shovelling pie into his mouth. **

"A century." James murmured.

**He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."**

**Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.**

**"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."**

"So, everyone will know by tomorrow morning." Benji laughed.

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.**

**"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. **

"So much for secret." said Bill.

**We're on the team too - Beaters."**

"Oh."

Molly groaned. How many of her children were going to end up playing that ridiculously dangerous game.

**"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, **

"Wouldn't that be the year before though?" Charlie asked.

**but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping**

**when he told us."**

"Now, I can't imagine James doing that." Sirius scoffed.

**"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."**

**"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."**

"First week. They're good." James said impressed. Fabian and Gideon were beaming with pride.

"I will have to go and have a look at that." McGonagall frowned.

"No!" She ignored them.

"Hey, do you think they've got the map?" Remus muttered.

"Might do. If anyone deserves to find and use it, they do." James replied, just as quietly.

"We did let Filch confiscate it so future pranksters could use it." Sirius smiled.

No one could hear what the Marauders were saying, but they didn't like the looks on their faces.

**Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"**

"Git."

**"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.**

**"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. **

"Don't you dare, Harry Potter." Lily scolded.

**What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"**

"And now he's phrased it as a challenge, he'll say yes. James never could back down from a challenge either." Remus said, shaking his head, albeit fondly.

**"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"**

"Ron." Molly groaned.

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.**

**"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."**

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other. "What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"**

**"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."**

**"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"**

"Punch him." Sirius suggested.

**"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. **

**"Excuse me."**

**They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

The pranksters groaned.

**"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.**

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.**

**"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying -"**

"Bet you could." Sirius muttered.

**"Bet you could," Ron muttered.**

Sirius looked astonished as everyone started chuckling.

**"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."**

**"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.**

"Harry, that's rude." said Lily, frowning.

**"Good-bye," said Ron.**

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). **

"Why not?" Alice asked, worriedly.

"You know what Madam Pomfrey's like. She's a brilliant medi-witch, but she does like to fuss over her patients." Frank soothed.

**Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them."**

"That's actually good advice in general." Remus said.

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness - this was his big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.**

"Of course not." Lily sighed. Then she smacked James upside the back of his head. "He get's that from you!"

As James opened his mouth to retort, Alice said, smiling, "Come on Lily, you know as well as I do that you'd do it too. You never let someone like Malfoy poke fun at you. Now if Harry was cursing people for the heck of it, then that's James through and through. But, fact is you and James are just as stubborn and prideful as each other. No wonder it took you so long to get together." Lily blushed, as everyone chuckled at this very true explanation.

**"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."**

**They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."**

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.**

"Merlin, she's interfering." Sirius groaned.

**"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"**

**"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy - he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."**

**Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.**

"Ha! See! Harry agrees with me."

**"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.**

**Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. **

"Of course not." the twins sighed in stereo.

**She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.**

**"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."**

"Okay, annoying she may be, but Merlin, that girl is bright." Remus said, shocked. "That's fourth year work."

**"Go away." "All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so -"**

**But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a night time visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.**

"I hate it when she does that." James sighed, "So many detentions could have been avoided if we could have just gotten into the tower."

**"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.**

**"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."**

**They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.**

**"I'm coming with you," she said.**

**"You are not."**

**"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."**

"That's pretty bold." Marlene chuckled.

"I don't think Ron would, but I think Harry might. He seems to have a fairly good moral compass." said Alice, contemplatively.

**"You've got some nerve -" said Ron loudly.**

**"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. I heard something."**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

**"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.**

**It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. **

"What's he doing there?"

**He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.**

**"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."**

Alice sighed whilst Frank shook his head, smiling.

**"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."**

**"How's your arm?" said Harry.**

"That's sweet of him." Alice smiled.

**"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."**

**"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later -"**

**"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."**

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.**

**"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you.**

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.**

**They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.**

**Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. **

"That's weird. Usually, when pulling something like this, you make sure you're there on time, so you're less likely to get caught by teachers." Remus frowned.

**The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. **

"Good idea." said Sirius, "wouldn't put it past him."

**The minutes crept by.**

**"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.**

"It's a trap." said Marlene.

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak -and it wasn't Malfoy.**

**"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."**

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris.**

"Slimy little git." growled Sirius. "When they challenged us, the Slytherins at least had the guts and the pride to show up. Even Snivellus made sure he was there, if we actually planned a duel."

**Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.**

**"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."**

"They need to get out of there."

**"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armour. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armour.**

Alice groaned. "Oh, Merlin, why did he have to inherit my clumsiness?"

**The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

**"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following - they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going - they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.**

"Okay, if you're going to be out of bed after hours, you need a thorough knowledge of the castle" said Gideon.

"Otherwise you have no idea where you're going, and you don't know where the good short cuts are to escape." continued Fabian.

**"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.**

"**I - told -you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I - told - you."**

"Now is not the time for 'I told you so's'" said Sturgis.

**"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."**

"Brilliant plan that." muttered Dorcas.

**"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."**

"Git." said Bill.

**Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.**

"Good idea." the pranksters, Frank, Aberforth, Bill, Charlie and Percy, all said.

"Boys." was muttered by all the women throughout the room.

**"Let's go."**

**It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.**

**It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.**

**"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out."**

"Are they trying to get Peeves to give them away?" asked Remus, "Saying stuff like that will just get him more excited."

**Peeves cackled.**

**"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."**

**"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."**

**"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."**

**"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves **

"NO!"

**This was a big mistake.**

"Too right it was." Fabian muttered.

**"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"**

**Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.**

"Maybe it's a good thing they brought Hermione, then." said Alice, "If one of them knows the Alohomora charm, it'd be her."

**"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!" **

"Wow, they're dramatic. We've been out of bed hundreds of times, and at most you get some points docked and detention." James said.

**They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves' shouts.**

**"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, 'Alohomora!"**

**The lock clicked and the door swung open - they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

**"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."**

**"Say 'please."'**

**"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"**

**"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.**

"He won't tell him." Sirius chuckled.

"How do you know?" asked Benji.

"We know Peeves. As much as he dislikes the students, he hates Filch with a passion." James answered.

"Also, the double negative's a big giveaway." Remus laughed.

**"All right -please."**

**"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" **

**And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay - get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"**

**Harry turned around - and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare - this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.**

"Oh no, what is it now?" Lily sighed.

**They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. **

"Oh Merlin!" Arthur mumbled, while everyone was looking warily at the book.

**And now they knew why it was forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.**

Everyone just looked gobsmacked and horrified. Until...

"What in the name of Merlin's shaggy chest hair, is something like that doing in a school!" Lily shrieked.

"Keep reading Edgar." said James, worried for his son and his friends.

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

"Get out of there!" everybody yelled.

**Harry groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.**

**They fell backward - Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared - all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

"Wow. That's a long way to run full belt." Sirius said, shaking off his astonishment at something like that dog being kept in the school.

**"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.**

"I dunno why she bothers asking anymore. She never gets an answer." said Gideon.

**"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.**

**It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.**

"Poor Neville." Lily sighed.

**"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. **

"That's what we're wondering." said Marlene.

**"If any dog needs exercise, that one does."**

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on."**

"Oh, because the three heads weren't enough to hold your attention." said Bill, scathingly.

**"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."**

"See, now that's what a normal person looks at." said Charlie.

**"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor.**

"Girl's got good observational skills." muttered Moody, impressed.

**It's obviously guarding something."**

**She stood up, glaring at them.**

"**I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. **

"Now, I'm not sure, but I think dying is a touch worse than being expelled, sweetheart." said Alice.

"That girl needs to sort out her priorities." mumbled Fabian.

**Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."**

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open.**

**"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you.**

**But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something... What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide - except perhaps Hogwarts.**

**It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

"Kid's intelligent. He really can put the pieces together." said Moody.

"That's it for the chapter." said Edgar.

"Well, as it's now after midnight, I would recommend we all get some sleep. Everyone is welcome to stay at Hogwarts of course." said Albus.

"That'd be great, Professor." said Sirius.

With everyone's murmurs of agreement, the parents picked up their respective sleeping children, with Gideon and Fabian carrying Fred and George, and made their way to their beds.

* * *

_**Read and review please!**_


	10. Halloween

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Next morning, after breakfast, the group returned to the Room of Requirement. After putting the younger children to play, the adults, Bill, Charlie, and Percy took the same places at the table from the day before.

Elphias opened the book to the next chapter, and began,

**CHAPTER TEN**

**HALLOWEEN**

"Woo!" Cheered Sirius, "I loved the Halloween feast!"

"And the fact that every year you made an effort to top the prank you pulled the previous year had nothing to do with your love Halloween" Lily replied, slyly.

**Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful.**

"Those kids of yours are definitely unique." Marlene said, "If I knew there was a three headed dog in the school when I was living here, I wouldn't have got out of bed."

**Indeed, by the next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. **

Lily and Molly both groaned, while Arthur and James looked worried (though James tried to hide it.)

**In the meantime, Harry filled Ron in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection. **

**"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.**

"Or both."

**"Or both," said Harry.**

Frank blinked.

**But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.**

"Clues you are not to go looking for Ronald Weasley." Molly growled.

**Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.**

"Smart kid you've got there." Dorcas told Alice and Frank.

**Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. **

"Okay, I know she's annoying, but that's kind of harsh. The girl's keeps showing up around those two, it doesn't seem like she's got any friends." Gideon frowned.

**All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, **

"Good lads. Put your creativity into that, not into figuring out what that dog's guarding." James said.

Sirius stared at him.

"What?! As curious as I am, I don't want Harry or Ron near that thing. Can you honestly say you wouldn't start panicking if they end up trying to get past it?" James asked him.

"Fair point."

**and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.**

"I love it when things like that happen. When the timing works out like that, it's great." Sturgis chuckled.

**As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.**

**Harry ripped open the letter first,**

"Aww."

**which was lucky, **

"Oh." Charlie blushed.

**because it said:**

**DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.**

**It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.**

**Professor McGonagall**

"Okay, first," James stood up, walked around the table, and wrapped his arms around the older woman, chanting, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" much to her embarrassment and everyone else's amusement.

Once he had let go, and returned to his seat, he continued, "Secondly, Professor, no offence, but a broom shaped package at breakfast isn't exactly what I'd call inconspicuous."

McGonagall's blush deepened.

**Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."**

**They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.**

"Oi! Give it back!" Charlie said, angrily.

**"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."**

"No. You're not allowed them." Sirius said, "There's a difference."

"Yeah, because my son is awesome!"

"James, sit down!"

**Ron couldn't resist it.**

"Of course he couldn't." Molly sighed, while his brothers grinned.

**"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."**

"You tell him Ron!"

**"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."**

"Git."

"Bill! What have I told you?!"

"Aww, Mum."

**Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow. **

**"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.**

"Good timing."

**"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.**

**"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sit," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.**

"Ha! Go Harry!" Percy cheered.

**Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion. "Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team..."**

**"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.**

**"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.**

**"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."**

"Ouch. That's harsh." Gideon said.

**Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.**

"Though, I'll admit, that isn't going to endear her to anybody."

**Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying under his bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where he'd be learning to play that night. He bolted his dinner that evening without noticing what he was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.**

"We were wrong. It's not just when he has stupid ideas that his dad's genes come out." Remus said. Sirius chuckled, and nodded

**"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry's bedspread.**

**Even Harry, who knew nothing about the different brooms, **

(James looked heartbroken)

**thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.**

The Quidditch fanatics in the room all sighed longingly.

**As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. Held never been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded Harry of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.**

Lily chuckled, "That's exactly what I thought."

**Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling - he swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.**

**"Hey, Potter, come down!'**

**Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Harry landed next to him.**

**"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant... you really are a natural. **

James beamed.

**I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."**

"Lucky kids. This git," Sirius gestured to his best friend, "had us up in the air five days a week. He'd have had us up there everyday if he could have gotten away with it."

"Hang on, I know that you guys were usually in detention three days a week. How'd you manage that?" Frank asked.

"As a rule, Minnie was the one who assigned our detentions. The other teachers got sick of having to rearrange them to allow us to get to them all. I also made a point of giving her a copy of the training regimen we were going to follow for suggestions, and I always included a schedule with it. So of course, it was easy enough for us to get everything done." James explained.

**He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.**

**"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."**

**"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.**

**"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"**

**"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"**

**"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously. "Never mind," said Harry quickly.**

**"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper -I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."**

**"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" He pointed at the three balls left inside the box.**

**"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."**

**He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.**

**"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."**

**He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.**

**"Stand back," Wood warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.**

"Wait, he did _what?!" _Lily shrieked.

**At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking his nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air - it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.**

"Kid's got guts. Not everyone would dive on top of a Bludger." Caradoc said, appreciatively.

**"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team - the Weasley twins are ours –**

Molly groaned.

**- it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So - think you've got all that?"**

**"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry reeled off.**

**"Very good," said Wood.**

**"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.**

"Don't be daft Harry. Quidditch is dangerous, but it's not life threatening." Sirius chuckled.

**"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers -" **

"**Unless they crack my head open."**

**"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers – I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."**

"That is the most accurate description of Fred and George I have ever heard." Bill said, while Percy, on a scrap piece of parchment wrote down 'Think of birthday present ideas for Fred and George where we can use the phrase – Fred and George: The Human Bludgers!"

**Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball.**

**Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.**

**"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. **

"Nearly always." James said, in a wise tone, "But it's perfectly possible to win a match if you've got a brilliant team of chasers."

**That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep. **

"That was a Cannons match, wasn't it?" Caradoc asked.

"Yeah, Cannons vs. Wigtown Wanderers. 'Bout 3 years ago. Everybody thought the Wanderers performance had really dropped. Turns out when the referee released the balls, one of the Snitch's wings got stuck in its housing, and so no one could find it. After they figured it out and the Snitch was released properly, it took about fifteen minutes for the Wanderers seeker to find it. Then everyone landed and passed out on the pitch, they were so knackered." James explained.

"How in the hell do you know this stuff?" Marlene asked.

"It's _Quidditch!_" James replied, as though that explained everything. Which, all of them knowing James, it kinda did.

**"Well, that's it – any questions?"**

**Harry shook his head. He understood what he had to do all right, it was doing it that was going to be the problem.**

"Don't worry." Sirius said, "If everyone raving about you is anything to go by, you'll have no problem."

**"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."**

**He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.**

**Harry didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. **

James looked like all his dreams had come true.

**After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.**

**"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."**

"Awesome!" Charlie cheered.

**Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. **

The adults in the room sighed. The school had become his home. That was just all kinds of sad.

**His lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.**

**On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). **

Alice scowled.

**Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. **

"So, who do you reckon is going to come out of this alive?"

**It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.**

**"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!"squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."**

"He's still telling that story." Sirius asked. "It's not true."

"How do you know?" Sturgis asked.

"I tried it once," Sirius shrugged.

At everyone's faces, he said, "I was curious!"

**It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it - Harry had to put it out with his hat.**

"Ah, so Harry found the hat's mysterious use."

**Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.**

**"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.**

**"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."**

**"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.**

"I'm five, and even I know that's not going to end well." Percy said.

**Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.**

**"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"**

**Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."**

"Ronald!"

**Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she was in tears.**

"Oh, that poor girl." Molly sighed.

**"I think she heard you."**

**"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."**

"Can I borrow that quill, Perce?" Fabian asked.

As he handed it over, Gideon summoned another piece of parchment and they wrote something down. When asked, they said, "'Have talk with all the boys. You don't make girls cry. No matter how annoying'"

**Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.**

**Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.**

"They're both so caring aren't they?"

**A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of term banquet.**

**Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.**

"Has he seen his reflection in the mirror again?"

**Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."**

**He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.**

"What!"

"Troll!"

"How could a troll get in?!"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

It took five minutes for everyone to calm down, and let Elphias continue.

**There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.**

**"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"**

"Aren't the Slytherin dorms _in the_ dungeons?" Bill asked.

"In times of emergency, if it is unsafe for students to return to their dormitories, they will then go to the library to await instructions, either directly from a teacher, or via one of the ghosts, usually their house ghost. All prefects and the Head Boy and Girl are made aware of this procedure on the prefect meeting on the train when they first receive their badges, or in the case where a Head Boy or Girl is given their badge without being a prefect, for example James, they are given these instructions in their meeting with me on the first day of term." Albus explained.

The three children, and all those who had not been a prefect or Head Boy or Girl, nodded in understanding.

**Percy was in his element.**

**"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"**

When Bill and Charlie were about to comment on when exactly he became immune to being crushed by a troll, McGonagall spoke up. "That was a very good thing you did there Mr. Weasley. By saying things like that to the first years, you help to keep them calm, and can avoid a panic, and any injuries that can be resulted from terrified first years."

The two older boys frowned, thinking this through, while Percy beamed. He may have become uptight and stuffy, but it did seem as though he had earned his badge in some ways.

**"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.**

**"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."**

"Nah, Peeves wouldn't do that." Sirius frowned, "Master of Mayhem he may be, but his first duty is to the school and the students. That's why he'll call the teachers and Filch if students are out of bed in the middle of the night. We all find annoying, and sometimes hate him for it, but it's to keep the students safe. He's one of the school's first lines of defence. He'd never do anything to put the students at risk like that."

"How on earth do you know stuff like that?" Dorcas asked.

"Make friends with the ghosts, the portraits, and Peeves, and you'll find out practically everything about the school."

**They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions.**

**As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.**

**"I've just thought - Hermione."**

"Oh, no. She was in the bathroom. She doesn't know about the troll!"

**"What about her?"**

**"She doesn't know about the troll."**

**Ron bit his lip.**

**"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."**

"What! Why not?!" Percy cried, "You can't go wandering around alone, if there's a troll in the castle!"

**Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.**

**"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.**

**Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.**

"What the…"

**"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"**

**"Search me."**

**Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.**

**"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, **

"Slimy git's trying to get past the giant dog!" Sirius snarled.

**but Ron held up his hand.**

**"Can you smell something?"**

"Oh, please no." Lily whispered.

**Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.**

Everyone cringed.

**And then they heard it - a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed - at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.**

**It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.**

**The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.**

**"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."**

"Good idea." Emmalene sighed, smiling.

**"Good idea," said Ron nervously.**

**They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.**

"Good. Now go get a teacher, and then get to bed." James said to the book. No one had the heart to tease him about being a grown up, or that he was talking to a book.

**'Yes!"**

**Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop - a high, petrified scream - and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.**

"Oh dear Merlin, no." Molly whispered, "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

**"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.**

**"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.**

**"Hermione!" they said together.**

**It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have?**

**Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside. Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.**

**"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.**

"Good idea." Remus muttered.

**The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. **

Lily gasped, and grabbed hold of James' arm.

**It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.**

**"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, **

Molly whimpered, and Arthur wrapped his arm around her.

**giving Harry time to run around it.**

**"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.**

"Don't freeze, girl!" Moody growled.

**The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.**

Percy squeaked, and leaned into his father, who wrapped his spare arm around him, as Bill grabbed hold of his brother's hand.

**Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: **

Lily and the Marauders all groaned, and Lily smacked James' shoulder, blaming his genes for that.

**He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. **

"He did _what!"_ Lily shrieked.

**The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.**

"Eww!" the children all cringed.

**Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.**

**Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand – not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

"You can't do that spell Ron!" Charlie cried.

**The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head.**

Everyone looked gobsmacked.

**The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.**

**Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.**

**It was Hermione who spoke first.**

**"Is it - dead?"**

"Doubt it. Trolls are tough as dragon hide." Remus muttered.

"**I don't think so," said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out."**

Lily sighed and loosened her grip on James' arm. "When I said 'What first year could fight a troll?' I didn't mean they should go and prove that they could."

**He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.**

**"Urgh - troll bogies."**

**He wiped it on the troll's trousers.**

"Please get someone to wash that."

**A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up.**

**They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. **

"Well, yeah. Trolls are pretty loud, and destruction's generally noisy as well." Sirius said, knowingly.

**A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.**

"Coward." Moody growled.

**Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.**

"We've seen her angrier." Fabian said. His twin and the Marauders all nodded.

**Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.**

"He almost get's himself killed, and _that's _what's on his mind!" Lily screeched.

**"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"**

**Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand down.**

**Then a small voice came out of the shadows.**

**"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."**

**"Miss Granger!"**

**Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.**

"**I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."**

Jaws dropped all around the room.

**Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? **

McGonagall looked distinctly miffed, while the pranksters all looked incredibly proud of the witch.

**"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."**

"Well, that mostly true." Frank said fairly.

"Which is the secret to a good lie." Gideon said, looking intently at his nephews, "Keep it as close to the truth as possible."

**Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.**

"Not a chance that they did." Alice chuckled.

**"Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"**

"Wait, you bought that!" Sirius cried, "You've sniffed out bigger, better and more elaborate lies than that with us, and yet you believe her?"

**Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.**

"If Snape ever does that, be sure to start carrying a beazor with you, just in case." James said seriously.

**"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left.**

**Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.**

**"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."**

**They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.**

"That does seem rewarding in and of itself."

**"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled.**

**"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."**

**"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."**

"But if you hadn't upset her, she wouldn't have needed saving." Benji said.

**"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.**

"That too."

**They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.**

**"Pig snout," they said and entered.**

**The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.**

"That's it? Thanks? That's all they can say?"

**But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. **

"Seriously?"

**There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.**

"Next time, I'd appreciate it if they made friends the normal way." Lily said.

"Well, that it." Elphias said. He handed the book to Aberforth.

"Please say there's nothing life threatening in the next chapter." Molly mumbled.

* * *

_**Read and review please! :) Concrit welcomed!**_


	11. Quidditch

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Aberforth began,

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**QUIDDITCH**

The Quidditch nuts all cheered.

**As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots.**

**The Quidditch season had begun. **

"The best season there is!" said James, to much agreement from Sirius, Remus, Fabian, Gideon, Bill, Charlie and McGonagall, while most sighed at him, and Lily gave him an indulgent smile, whilst shaking her head at his enthusiasm.

**On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. **

"Alright! That match is always the best!" said Sirius.

"And by best, you mean, most likely to get your neck broken." asked Alice.

"Of course! The Gryffindor/Slytherin matches are ferocious!"

**If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.**

"Woo!"

**Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, **

"Not surprising, as Malfoy grabbed your broomstick when you got it." said Marlene.

"Besides, it's Hogwarts. Nothing stays secret for long." noted Arthur.

**and Harry didn't know which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.**

"Don't worry Harry. You will be brilliant, and the Slytherins mocking you will look like bloody idiots at the end of it." James said soothingly.

**It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.**

"Only book worth reading."

"Shut it, Prongs."

**Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; **

"That would have been an amazing match to see." said Sirius, to general agreement.

**that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; **

Lily and Molly blanched, thinking about their respective sons.

**that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.**

"Tornados game, 6 years ago." said James.

**Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.**

"That's impressive. That's third year work, and very difficult to get the hang of." said Alice.

**They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. **

"Actually, it is." said McGonagall, "No magic in the corridors, but they're outside, and the fire is properly contained, so it's not a danger to anyone."

Bill, Charlie, and Percy took note of this, knowing they were going to have to go outside in the snow at some point in their school years. Besides, it'd be worth quoting to a teacher or prefect if they tried to tell them off for it. The look on any teacher's face to have a student quoting the school rules to them would be hilarious.

**Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.**

"Git."

**"What's that you've got there, Potter?"**

**It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.**

**"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape.**

"That's not a rule either." McGonagall frowned.

**"Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."**

**"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"**

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him." said Sirius scathingly.

**"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.**

Sirius just blinked at the book, while everyone else chuckled.

**The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.**

"At least they have to work for their answers." Lily frowned.

**Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape?**

"Because he's a right foul git." growled Sirius.

**Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.**

**"Better you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.**

**He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing.**

**Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside - and a horrible scene met his eyes.**

**Snape and Filch were inside, alone.**

"Ugh. Images." said Sirius.

**Snape was holding his robes above his knees. **

"Oh, Merlin, Harry! Stop!" James pleaded. Sirius looked green.

**One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.**

"See, now why couldn't he have started with that?" asked Sirius.

"Because obviously while he was thinking this, he didn't account for your juvinilism. Seriously, _**(No pun intended, I just can't think of a synonym for it. I hate that bloody pun) **_James, Sirius, get your minds out of the gutter." said Lily. The two animagi just pouted at her.

**"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"**

"You're not supposed to. That's why is a protection." said Alice.

"But why was Snape trying to get past it?" asked Emmaline.

"The greasy git's trying to steal whatever's being protected." Sirius snarled. James looked like he wanted to agree, but he'd made a conscious decision not to have a go at Snape so much, because Lily truly missed her old friend, and it hurt her whenever he would say anything about him.

**Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but -**

**"POTTER!"**

**Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped.**

**"I just wondered if I could have my book back."**

"Kid's got guts, I'll give him that." said Remus laughing.

**"GET OUT! OUT!"**

**Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.**

**"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?" In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.**

**"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"**

"No Harry! Not the broomstick! Bet your school books or something else you won't mind losing!" cried James, much to everyone's – besides Lily's – amusement. Furious, Lily glared at him, and told him, in no uncertain terms, that Harry's education was far more important than his broomstick. James, shaking his head at his wife's silliness, motioned for Aberforth to keep reading.

**Hermione's eyes were wide.**

**"No - he wouldn't, she said."I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."**

**"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"**

**Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind - he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.**

"I imagine not."

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.**

**"You've got to eat some breakfast."**

**"I don't want anything."**

**"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.**

**"I'm not hungry."**

"Come on, Harry. You could faint while you're in the air if you don't eat anything." Lily fretted, finally done with glaring at her husband.

"He'll be fine Lily. James was the same whenever he was nervous about a match. Or anything really." said Remus

**Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field. **

**"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."**

"Oh. that's a brilliant way of cheering him." said Marlene, sarcastically.

**"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.**

**By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.**

**Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. **

"That's really sweet." Molly cooed.

**Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.**

"Merlin, that girl's good." said Frank, impressed.

**Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).**

**Wood cleared his throat for silence.**

**"Okay, men," he said.**

**"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.**

**"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."**

**"The big one," said Fred Weasley.**

**"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.**

**"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year."**

**"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."**

**He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."**

"He's a bit intense." said Dorcas.

"Intense? You want to talk intense; you should have seen James before our matches. He once told our seeker 'Get the snitch or die trying.' If that's not intense, I don't know what is." Sirius chuckled.

**"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."**

**Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.**

**Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand. **

**"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. **

"Yeah right. I've never seen a clean Gryffindor vs. Slytherin game." laughed Remus.

**Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. **

"He does. About fifteen generation or so ago, but it's there, and those genes are hard to dilute." said Sirius, knowledgably.

At the questioning looks, he sighed. "Flints and Blacks are related, albeit distantly, and Flints are known to experiment. Black family tradition, know the bloodlines. I can probably, unfortunately recite mine, for about five generations." Sirius was getting rather depressed talking about the family he hated, and noticing this James and Remus glared at everyone, sending the clear message, "Say anything so he has to continue with this, and you'll find yourself dangling from the Astronomy Tower by your underwear."

**Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.**

Lily smiled.

**"Mount your brooms, please."**

**Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. **

**"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"**

"Alright, who's doing the commentary?" James said, smiling.

**"JORDAN!"**

"Ah. The twins' friend Lee. He'd be good at it, but he'll have nothing on Moony's." Sirius laughed.

**"Sorry, Professor."**

**The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.**

"Yeah, she always insisted on supervising mine as well." Remus chuckled.

"With good reason."

"Come on Professor. Remus' commentaries were hilarious." said Frank.

"If I remember correctly, his _commentary_ in the previous match is what caused me to ban him from the Quidditch pitch for the last match of his third year."

"Come on, Professor!" Remus huffed, "Rosier could've broken James' neck with the stunt he pulled. You couldn't expect me to ignore it!"

"Besides, as far as my memory serves me, you tried to get him replaced, and when you advertised the position, nobody, not even the _Slytherins,_ applied, because everyone loved Remus' commentary so much." Alice launched.

**"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"**

"Yes" everyone cheered.

**Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.**

**"Budge up there, move along."**

**"Hagrid!"**

**Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.**

**"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. **

"Never is." Hagrid smiled.

**No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"**

**"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."**

**"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.**

**Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.**

**"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."**

"That's a good plan." James said approvingly.

**When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch.**

**Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, **

"And that's why you don't wear gold to matches. We know James, give it a rest." Sirius chuckled as James opened his mouth.

**and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.**

**"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.**

**"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"**

**A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.**

"Idiot. Don't let anything like that distract you. If someone falls off their broomstick, sure, but let someone else's job distract you from what you're doing." James said, exasperated.

"You know you're trying to give advice to a Slytherin there, mate?" Remus laughed.

"Any competent Quidditch player should know that." James sulked.

"Ah, but that being the key word. Competent. Since when are Slytherins competent." Sirius asked, sincerely.

"Shut it."

While everyone was chuckling lightly at this, the twins were laughing openly at the Marauders.

**Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.**

"Idiots."

**Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - - he put on an extra spurt of speed - WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.**

"FOUL" the Quidditch fanatics screeched.

**"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.**

**Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.**

**Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"**

"Huh?"

**"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.**

**"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"**

"But this is Quidditch." said Frank.

**"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.**

**Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.**

Lily smiled at him.

**"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."**

Now both James and Lily were smiling at Hagrid, and his obvious caring for their son. Hagrid just blushed in response.

**Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.**

**"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating**

**"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.**

**"I mean, after that open and revolting foul**

"Kid's got guts." remarked Caradoc.

**'Jordan, I'm warning you -"**

"Oh come on Professor, that wasn't even close to what Remus always came out with." Marlene laughed.

"Perhaps, but that would be because Mr. Lupin came out with things that would make a sailor blush, and if you recall, this ended up with him being banned from the Quidditch matches for the end of his third year."

Remus had the common sense to hide his smile, and look appropriately abashed.

**"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."**

**It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head, that it happened. **

"What happened?" sighed Lily, worried.

**His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. **

"Someone's cursing his broom." snarled Arthur. James and Lily paled, while Sirius and Remus had looks on their face that clearly said if they found out who was doing that to Harry, they'd curse them so badly, they'd turn inside out.

**For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.**

**It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts - he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out - and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.**

"Who the hell is trying to hurt my son?" James growled.

**Lee was still commentating.**

"Why has no one noticed?" Alice shrieked.

**"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no...**

**The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.**

**"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have..."**

"He has." said Benji, darkly.

**Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.**

"No, no, no..." Lily was chanting under her breath, while James held her tightly, also worried for his son.

**"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.**

**"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."**

**At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd. **

**"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.**

"She's looking for who's cursing the broom." growled Moody.

**"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape - look."**

"Snape!" James looked livid, whilst Remus and Sirius were growling furiously, and Lily's eyes flashed dangerously. Everyone looked incensed at the man trying to kill James and Lily's son.

**Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.**

**"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.**

**"What should we do?"**

**"Leave it to me."**

"What can she do? She's just a first year." asked Sturgis.

"I think we've established Hermione's not your average first year. Besides, it's not like she has to perform the counter-curse. All she has to do to stop him is break his eye contact." said Arthur, wisely.

**Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.**

"Thank you boys." James muttered under his breath. Lily nodded in agreement, and Molly, Arthur, Fabian and Gideon looked very proud of the twins playing in the play pen.

**Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.**

"Dirty cheating bastard!"

"Bill!"

**"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.**

**Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.**

Albus and Moody frowned at that. Why was that mentioned?

**Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.**

"She set him on fire!" Sirius laughed, "That's something I've always wanted to do, but never dared, 'cause of McGonagall's reaction."

While McGonagall looked angry that he wanted to set the man on fire, she smiled inwardly, knowing she had some amount of control over the Marauders.

**It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row - Snape would never know what had happened.**

"That makes it even better."

**It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.**

Lily and James sighed in relief.

**"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.**

"Aw, that's so sweet." Lily smiled at Alice and Frank, now satisfied her son wasn't going to fall to his death.

**Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick **

"Wouldn't surprise me. He was just clinging for dear life onto his broom." said Dorcas, "It's enough to make anyone nauseous."

**- he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.**

"No way." said Charlie, as the adults sat awestruck, "No effing way."

**"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.**

"It's always brilliant..." said Gideon

"... when it ends like that." finished Fabian.

**"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," **

"Which just makes him even more bloody amazing" cried Bill, to murmurs of agreement.

**Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.**

**Harry heard none of this, though. **

"Why not?"

**He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.**

"Aw it's nice that he can celebrate his first win with his closest friends." said Emmaline, while Hagrid blushed.

**"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth.**

**"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."**

**Hagrid dropped the teapot.**

**"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.**

Everyone just gawked at him. Then Lily asked weakly, "Fluffy, Hagrid? _Fluffy? _Seriously?"

Hagrid just ignored their incredulous looks. He thought it was a fine name for the dog.

**"Fluffy?"**

**"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the**

"Hagrid!" said McGonagall, sternly.

**"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."**

**"But Snape's trying to steal it."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."**

**"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.**

**The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.**

"**I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"**

"Reading and practise are two very different things. The same is true for counter-jinxes." growled Moody, frowning.

**"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -"**

"Oh, Hagrid." Lily sighed.

Hagrid had the good grace to look ashamed of himself.

"If Harry's got Lily's curiosity, that's really going to peak his interest. He's not going to let this go." Remus frowned.

**"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"**

**Hagrid looked furious with himself.**

"As you should. Honestly Hagrid." McGonagall sighed, exasperated.

"Well, that's it." said Aberforth, gruffly, passing the book to Hagrid.

* * *

_**Read and Review! Concrit Welcome! :D**_


	12. The Mirror of Erised

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter. ****Oh, and thanks everybody who review. They really make my day! :)**_

* * *

Hagrid began,

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**THE MIRROR OF ERISED**

"What's that?"

**Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. **

Everyone chuckled.

**The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.**

"Poor things." Marlene cooed.

**No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.**

**"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."**

"Slimy git." Sirius growled.

"Besides, Christmas at Hogwarts is great." Remus said earnestly, to general agreement.

**He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them.**

**Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. **

"That's really not funny." frowned Frank.

**Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.**

"Little rat." said Benji.

**It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. **

James and Lily sighed at this.

**Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.**

Charlie smiled. While he wanted to work with dragons, he was a little down that he had to live so far away from his family to do it, and was rather glad that they would come and see him.

**When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.**

**"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.**

**"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."**

**"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."**

Bill, Charlie and Percy growled at this, while all the adults frowned.

**Ron dived at Malfoy **

"Go Ron!" the children, twins, and Marauders cheered.

**just as Snape came up the stairs.**

"Damn."

**"WEASLEY!"**

**Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.**

**"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."**

**"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.**

**"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him -"**

**"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."**

**"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."**

**So the three of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to -the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.**

**"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?"**

**The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.**

The adults all smiled reminiscently, all remembering their Christmases at Hogwarts.

**"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.**

**"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me -Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."**

"No! Not the library." Sirius groaned.

**"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.**

"And the boys are agreeing!" James moaned. The twins sighed in disappointment. Lily, Molly and Remus glared at all of them.

**"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"**

"Too right they are." Sirius mumbled.

**"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."**

"Oh, well that's..." Fabian began.

"...Okay then." Gideon finished. The black haired animagi smiled, as they thought that this was one of the only good things about going to that dreadful place.

**"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh – drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."**

"Good luck with that Hagrid. Their curiosity's been peaked. They're not going to give up on this." Lily sighed.

**"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.**

"Yeah right."

**"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere."**

"You know, I'm sure I've heard that name recently as well." Sirius frowned.

James nodded sincerely, while Remus smiled. He knew exactly where they'd heard it. All the chocolate frogs he ate, he could pretty much recite most of the Chocolate Frog Card backwards, and he certainly knew what Dumbledore's said. However, he was perfectly content to let them try and figure it out.

**"I'm sayin' nothin, said Hagrid flatly.**

**"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left**

**Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.**

**They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. **

"Well, I wouldn't really expect him to be. He's not exactly modern, being over six hundred years old and all." Lily chuckled.

"Wait, you know who he is?" asked Sirius.

She nodded. "Did you not pay attention to Slughorn at all? He's an alchemist, we learnt about him in second year."

"Well, in our defence, we didn't pay attention to much of what Slughorn said, because we were too busy trying not to get killed by Remus' cauldron. I swear, Remus was worse than Frank at Potions." James said. Remus scowled, but didn't deny it. He was awful at Potions, and his cauldron did explode very regularly.

"I'm still confused though. If Flamel's second year work, when have we heard his name lately, 'cause I know we have." Sirius questioned. Lily just shrugged.

**And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.**

"So many books." Fabian and Gideon mumbled.

**Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. **

"Now, that's effective." Alice laughed.

**Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. **

"Nope."

**Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts.**

**"What are you looking for, boy?"**

**"Nothing," said Harry.**

"Not good. Now she's going to kick you out." Frank said.

**Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.**

**"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!"**

"Told you."

**Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.**

"Whether or not, Snape's up to it, that's still a good idea. They'd get in a heck of a lot of trouble if the teachers found out what they were up to." said Sturgis.

**Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.**

**Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads.**

**They went off to lunch.**

**"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. **

"Course they won't. When it hits Christmas, everything at Hogwarts just stops." Arthur chuckled.

**"And send me an owl if you find anything."**

**"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."**

**"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.**

"Actually, it wouldn't be a bad idea. They might know. Flamel's famous in the muggle world as well. **(It's true! I Googled it!)** and that would give them an idea of where to start looking." said Lily.

**Once the holidays had started, Ron and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. **

"Thought so."

**They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork - bread, English muffins, marshmallows - and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.**

"I remember doing that to Snape!" Sirius laughed. "It's always good fun."

**Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family - in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted. Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him." **

"Ah, you don't want to play with a set like that. Those sorts are only ever trying to save themselves." said Emmaline.

**On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.**

Everyone frowned at that.

**When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.**

Lily and James smiled.

**"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.**

**"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"**

**"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.**

**Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was To Harry, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it - it sounded a bit like an owl.**

"Thank you Hagrid." James and Lily beamed at him. Hagrid turned pink.

**A second, very small parcel contained a note. We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.**

Lily frowned.

"How much is that?" asked Alice.

"Enough to buy a small chocolate bar. Maybe." Lily said.

**"That's friendly," said Harry.**

**Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.**

**"Weird!" he said, "What a shape! This is money?"**

"Oh, tell me Ron doesn't get Dad's muggle obsession." Bill groaned, Charlie and Percy nodding in agreement.

**"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle - so who sent these?"**

**"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and - oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley sweater."**

Molly turned scarlet as Lily and James smiled at her."

**Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.**

**"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."**

Molly frowned, making a mental note not to make him a maroon sweater.

**"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.**

**His next present also contained candy - a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.**

**This only left one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it.**

**Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. **

James smiled, happy that his son was able to receive his most precious family heirloom.

**Ron gasped.**

**"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavour Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is - they're really rare, and really valuable."**

**"What is it?"**

**Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.**

People were frowning. They knew what that sounded like.

**"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is - try it on."**

**Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.**

**"It is! Look down!"**

**Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.**

"But who would I leave my cloak with?" James mumbled.

"Maybe one of us?" Sirius replied in an undertone, gesturing to himself and Remus.

**"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"**

**Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing**

"Okay, not us." Remus whispered, frowning at the description of the writing.

**he had never seen before were the following words: **

**Your father left this in my possession before he died. **

**It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.**

**A Very Merry Christmas to you.**

Everyone turned to look at James. Finally McGonagall spoke up, "Did you have that cloak while you were a student, Mr. Potter?" He nodded.

"That explains a lot." she huffed, "But where would you get an invisibility cloak at that age?"

"Old family heirloom. It's been passed down for generations."

"But, that's not possible. Invisibility Cloaks only last a few years, before the charms on them start to fade." growled Moody.

James just shrugged. He knew exactly why his cloak lasted as long as it has. but frowned at the thought that the Cloak's history had been lost with him.

The wheels in Albus' mind were turning. Could it be...?

**There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.**

**"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"**

**"Nothing," said Harry. He felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?**

James smiled sadly.

**Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.**

"No. I wouldn't either." said Marlene.

**"Merry Christmas!"**

**"Hey, look - Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"**

**Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.**

"Why do I think that they're wearing the wrong jumper?" Molly sighed.

"Cause we do every year when you make us one?" the twins replied.

**"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."**

**"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."**

**"I hate maroon," Ron moaned half-heartedly as he pulled it over his head.**

Molly frowned.

**"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge."**

**"What's all this noise?**

**Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.**

**"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."**

**"I - don't - want said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.**

Percy scowled, while everyone chuckled at his misfortune.

**"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."**

"I know that!" cried Percy, "No one needs to tell me. I would've sat with my family anyway!" His parents smiled at him.

**They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.**

**Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favours were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.**

"More proof, as if we needed it, that Dumbledore's mental." laughed Sirius. "But in a good way." He added, as he saw McGonagall furiously open her mouth.

**Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.**

McGonagall blushed scarlet, as James said, "Sounds like you got a bit tipsy that year." to chuckles and general agreement.

**When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.**

"Poor mice." sighed Frank, "No one deserves that fate."

**Harry and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.**

Percy scowled.

**After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.**

**It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.**

**Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.**

**His father's... this had been his father's. **

James smiled sadly, and Lily took his hand.

**He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.**

**He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.**

"You get used to it." Remus chuckled.

**Use it well.**

**Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.**

"Unless you bump into him. Right Sirius?" said Remus, laughing.

"Two times. That happened two times, and you're never going to let me forget it are you? I didn't do it anywhere near as much as Pete."

"Yeah, but we expected that of Wormy, not from you Oh Master of Stealth!" James sniggered.

**Ron grunted in his sleep. Should Harry wake him? Something held him back - his father's cloak - he felt that this time - the first time – he wanted to use it alone.**

"I don't think he'd blame you for that."

**He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole. **

**"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry said nothing. He walked quickly down the corridor.**

**Where should he go? He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library. **

"The _Library?! _Oooh, what a daredevil!" chuckled the twins.

**He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. He set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around him as he walked.**

**The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.**

**The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.**

"Why is there only a rope preventing access to the Restricted Section?" asked Marlene.

**They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. **

"It is." said Sirius. At the curious looks, he said, "Don't ask."

**The hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.**

"Oh they do. A couple of the books can talk." said Remus.

"And one can scream." said James.

**He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. **

"Not that one!" the Marauders yelled.

**He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.**

**A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming!**

The Marauders sighed. "Harry just had to open that one, didn't he." James said, "Who came up with his ridiculous luck?"

**Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he ran for it. He passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears.**

**He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armour. He had been so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there.**

"There's suits of armour everywhere, Harry." Sirius shook his head, exasperated.

"And they all move." Remus added, "You can't tell your way around the castle by remembering the suits of armour."

**"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."**

**Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."**

"Oh come on." said Gideon.

"Can't Harry catch a break?"

**Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him - the cloak didn't stop him from being solid.**

James and Remus smirked at Sirius, who scowled back.

**He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was his only hope. **

"No! The last time you did that, you came face to face with a giant three headed dog named _Fluffy!"_ cried Lily.

**He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.**

**It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.**

**It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. **

"So, gibberish then?" asked Caradoc.

**His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. He stepped in front of it.**

**He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. **

"What?!"

**He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.**

"Huh?"

**But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to the mirror.**

**There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder - but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? **

"So, he's looking at a mirror of invisible people?" Frank asked, "That doesn't seem too plausible to me."

**Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?**

**He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air - she and the others existed only in the mirror.**

**She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes – her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. **

Lily stiffened.

**Bright green - exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. **

Lily was crying here too, now guessing what the mirror showed.

**The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. **

James looked down sadly, and wrapped his arm around Lily, pulling her into his chest.

**He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as**

**Harry's did.**

**Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.**

**"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"**

Very few weren't teary eyed at this, and everyone was looking down miserably.

**They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees - Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life.**

James and Lily closed their eyes, as this sentence wrapped itself painfully around their hearts.

**The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.**

"I don't like this." Lily mumbled into James' shirt, "He should stay away from that mirror."

**How long he stood there, he didn't know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room.**

"Please don't." James sighed.

**"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.**

**"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror."**

**"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.**

"I don't think that's how it works." said Arthur.

"No, it's not. The mirror shows only the deepest desires of one's hearts." said Albus.

**"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."**

**"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. **

"Tactful, Ron." said Charlie.

**Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"**

**Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?**

"That mirror is not good for him." frowned Remus.

**"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."**

**What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.**

**"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."**

"Please."

**"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere."**

**They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armour.**

Everyone groaned.

**"It's here - just here - yes!"**

**They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror.**

**There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.**

**"See?" Harry whispered.**

**"I can't see anything."**

**"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them..."**

**"I can only see you."**

**"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."**

**Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pyjamas.**

**Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.**

"I wonder what he sees." mumbled Arthur thoughtfully.

**"Look at me!" he said.**

**"Can you see all your family standing around you?"**

**"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm head boy!"**

"His heart's desire is to be head boy?!" asked Bill, incredulously. Everyone looked amazed at that.

**"What?"**

**"I am - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too.**

"What the..."

**Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.**

**"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"**

**"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look -"**

**"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."**

**"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."**

**"Don't push me -"**

"And now they're fighting over it." frowned Alice, "They need to get away from this mirror."

**A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.**

**"Quick!"**

**Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Ron and Harry stood quite still, both thinking the same thing - did the cloak work on cats? **

"We were never quite sure of that."

**After what seemed an age, she turned and left.**

**"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."**

**And Ron pulled Harry out of the room.**

**The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.**

**"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.**

**"No."**

**"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"**

**"No... you go..."**

"This isn't good." said Sirius.

**"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight."**

**"Why not?"**

**"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it - and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"**

"Listen to him Harry." Lily pleaded.

**"You sound like Hermione."**

**"I'm serious, Harry, don't go."**

**But Harry only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop him.**

Everyone sighed.

**That third night he found his way more quickly than before. He was walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he didn't meet anyone.**

**And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all.**

**Except -**

**"So - back again, Harry?"**

"Uh oh."

**Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. **

"Thank you Professor. Maybe you can stop him obsessing over that mirror."

**Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.**

"**- I didn't see you, sir."**

**"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.**

**"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."**

"I wouldn't exactly call it 'delights'" said the twins.

**"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."**

**"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"**

**"It - well - it shows me my family -"**

**"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."**

**"How did you know -?"**

**"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently.**

"Disillusionment Charm."

**"Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"**

**Harry shook his head.**

**"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"**

"That sounds like a trick question." said Sirius.

**Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."**

**"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. **

"See!"

**"It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. **

The Weasleys looked gobsmacked at that. They hadn't realised he was that insecure. They'd have to make sure Ron never ended up thinking like that.

**However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.**

**"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. **

"Why does that sound like you think he will run into it again, Albus?" asked McGonagall sternly. Albus avoided her eyes, and Hagrid continued...

**It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. **

"Good advice."

**Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"**

**Harry stood up.**

**"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"**

**"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."**

**"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"**

"Harry." Lily said sternly, "That's a very personal question!"Albus just smiled serenely.

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks."**

Everyone, besides Aberforth, simply gawked at him. Aberforth's eyes narrowed, and he glanced at his brother shrewdly.

**Harry stared.**

**"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."**

"Now we all know what to get you for Christmas then Professor." Sirius said cheerfully.

**It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.**

"Tha's it fer this chapter." said Hagrid passing the book onto Dorcas. She opened the book and began.

* * *

_**Read and Review please!**_


	13. Nicholas Flamel

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Dorcas opened the book, hoping for a cheerful chapter, to help get rid of the sombre mood that gripped the room.

She smiled and began...

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**NICOLAS FLAMEL**

"Finally!" cried Frank.

**Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of his trunk. **

"Aww." Sirius groaned.

**Harry wished he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he couldn't. He started having nightmares. Over and over again he dreamed about his parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter.**

Lily and James looked sad at this.

**"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Harry told him about these dreams.**

"Nice, Ron." said Charlie.

**Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that he hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.**

**They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Harry had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again.**

"Woo! Quidditch." the fanatics cheered.

**Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side. **

"Good boy Harry!" James said proudly.

**If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Harry found that he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training.**

**Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.**

"We did that!" the twins cried, as James scowled at this waste of good practise time.

**"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"**

The Marauders looked gobsmacked. Then Lily said, confused, "Why would he referee? He hates Quidditch."

"Cause he wants to knock points off Gryffindor." said James, frowning.

"Because he wants to murder Harry." growled Sirius.

"We don't know that." Remus said. Sirius huffed.

**George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.**

Everyone chuckled.

**"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."**

"Too right he's not." James muttered.

**The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.**

**"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."**

"That won't stop him."

**Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch...**

"Yeah, must be a little disconcerting when you think he's trying to kill you." Frank said.

**The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.**

"Or very good for you, and your egos." Marlene laughed.

**"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen -" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."**

"Oh, that's nice."

**Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.**

"Sinister desire." Alice laughed, "I didn't realise that refereeing _could _be sinister."

**"Don't play," said Hermione at once.**

**"Say you're ill," said Ron.**

**"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.**

**"Really break your leg," said Ron.**

"Wouldn't work. Madame Pomfrey would have him fixed up in a trice." Caradoc said.

**"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."**

"That's not a good strategy. He'd do better to have a reserve seeker who could play poorly, than no reserve at all." James frowned. McGonagall nodded in agreement, deciding that when the time came, she would mention that to Wood.

**At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. **

Alice and Frank frowned. "Who cursed my son?" Alice growled.

**He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.**

**Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.**

"Remind me, when Neville's friends with this girl, to get her a present." Alice said to Frank, ignoring the fact that they had no idea what had happened to them. She liked to be optimistic.

**"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."**

"Slimy git." Bill said.

**"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"**

"Good girl." Molly approved.

**Neville shook his head.**

"Why not?"

"Because Malfoy would know exactly who had reported him, and would have gone out of his way to get back at Neville." James frowned. McGonagall huffed.

**"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.**

**"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."**

**"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.**

"That's not what he meant." Remus said.

"Besides, I think Neville would be plenty brave if he was given the chance to show it." James said. Frank and Alice beamed at him.

**Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.**

"That's really sweet." Alice cooed.

**"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."**

"Fantastic points, Harry." Sirius approved.

**Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.**

**"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"**

**As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.**

**"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever-"**

**He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron and Hermione.**

**"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here – listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"**

"All that looking, and they found him on the back of a Chocolate Frog card." Sirius sighed. Then he turned to Remus and said, "Told you there is good that comes from going to the library. They wasted all that time in there, when they could have been doing something useful. Or fun."

Remus growled at him. Sirius smirked. And then he realised something.

"You knew didn't you? You've got hundreds of those cards. You knew exactly where we heard Flamel's name, didn't you."

It was Remus' turn to smirk.

**Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.**

"Wow. That girl's eager." said Charlie.

**"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.**

**"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."**

"Light?" Fabian blinked. "Didn't it just say that the book was enormous?"

**"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.**

**At last she found what she was looking for.**

**"I knew it! I knew it!"**

**"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.**

**"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"**

"Of course!"

"The what?" Bill, Charlie, and Percy asked confused.

**This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.**

**"The what?" said Harry and Ron.**

"See? They want to know too." said Bill, as the adults chuckled.

**"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look - read that, there."**

**She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read: **

_**The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.**_

_**There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).**_

"Wow." the children all sighed.

**"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"**

"I think it's more likely that Dumbledore asked him to move it out of Gringotts and into Hogwarts because he knew it was in danger." Emmaline said, reasonably.

**"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."**

**"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"**

"Not really." chuckled Arthur.

**The next morning in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, **

"I thought there wasn't a cure for werewolf bites." said Marlene, confused.

"There isn't. There on about the ways to clean up the wound when you're bitten." Remus said.

**Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.**

**"I'm going to play," he told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."**

"That's my boy." James said proudly.

"Yep, that's definitely your son. He thinks someone is trying to kill him, yet he's perfectly willing to go near said person and risk getting hurt, for a Quidditch match." Lily sighed, shaking her head, albeit fondly. James just looked smug that his son shares his love of Quidditch.

**"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.**

"Oh, that's cheerful." said Frank, sarcastically.

**As the match drew nearer, however, Harry became more and more nervous, whatever he told Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?**

"Probably not." said Edgar.

"As long as Harry ends the match quick, it shouldn't be too bad." James said.

**Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to keep running into Snape wherever he went. At times, he even wondered whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own. Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, **

"Turning into?" Sirius asked scathingly, "What were they before?"

**Snape was so horrible to Harry. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could - yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.**

"Legilimency."

**Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever see him alive again. **

"That's pleasant."

**This wasn't what you'd call comforting. **

"No, I wouldn't think so." said Marlene.

**Harry hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why they had both brought their wands to the match. **

"You should take your wand everywhere, Neville." Frank sighed.

"I guess they don't think about it too much, being in a time of peace and all." said Alice, frowning.

"Doesn't matter. He should keep his wand on him at all times. Constant vigilance." Moody growled.

**Little did Harry know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.**

"That would be hilarious to see while he's on a broom." Sirius laughed.

**"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.**

**"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."**

**Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside.**

**"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favour Hufflepuff too much."**

"Good plan." James nodded.

Everyone looked at him.

"James, that was your plan." Remus said, as though addressing a two year old.

"Which just show it's a good plan."

Everyone rolled their eyes.

**"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even - blimey - Dumbledore's come to watch!"**

"That's different. You don't often go to the matches." Remus frowned.

"Perhaps not, but on occasion, I do enjoy a good Quidditch match."

**Harry's heart did a somersault.**

**"Dumbledore?" he said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.**

**Harry could have laughed out loud with relief He was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt him if Dumbledore was watching.**

"Or anyone else." Lily said reasonably.

**Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.**

**"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look -they're off Ouch!"**

**Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.**

**"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."**

"Sure you didn't." Sirius said scathingly.

**Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"**

**Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.**

**"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, **

"Talent. D'uh"

**as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. **

"Git."

**"It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."**

Everyone was glaring at the book.

**Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.**

**"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.**

"You tell him Neville!" Frank said proudly.

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville." **

**"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."**

**Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry.**

**"I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word**

**"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry -"**

**"What? Where?"**

**Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.**

**"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.**

"Or, it could be, I don't know, _the snitch?"_

**Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. **

"Go Ron!" The pranksters and the children yelled.

**Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.**

"Go Neville!"

"No one can say he's not a Gryffindor now. I've seen their fathers. If their sons are the same mould, Neville's got guts to take them on." Sirius said.

**"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape - she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.**

**Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches - the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.**

"Yes!"

**The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.**

James beamed proudly.

**"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.**

"She's excited." Marlene laughed.

**Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it - the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. **

"That is a record! The shortest school game right now is thirteen minutes and forty-seven seconds." James said, his face split into a wide grin.

**As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped - then Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.**

**"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror... been keeping busy... excellent..."**

**Snape spat bitterly on the ground.**

**Harry left the locker room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. He couldn't ever remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now - no one could say he was just a famous name any more. **

"Yes. Defeating one of the world's darkest wizards, and winning a Quidditch match are right in the same league." Benji laughed.

**The evening air had never smelled so sweet. **

"It always does after a good win." said Sirius, smiling.

**He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed.**

**Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape...**

"Ha! Take that Snivelly." said Sirius.

**And speaking of Snape...**

**A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner - what was going on?**

"Good question." Moody growled, frowning.

**Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He followed.**

**The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.**

"Harry, you shouldn't be eavesdropping." Lily scolded.

"Lily, you would have done the exact same thing." Alice laughed. Lily huffed.

**He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.**

**"... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..."**

**"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy.**

**"Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."**

**Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.**

**"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"**

"He's trying to steal the stone." Sirius said, angrily.

**"B-b-but Severus, I -"**

**"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.**

**"I-I don't know what you**

**"You know perfectly well what I mean."**

**An owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, "- your little bit of hocus-pocus.**

"Damn. Couldn't have heard the rest of that sentence could you, Harry."

"Sirius! I think it's more important that my son didn't fall out of a tree." said Lily, glaring.

"I know that Lily, and I would never say otherwise. I just think being able to hear the rest of that sentence would have been an added bonus."

**I'm waiting."**

**"B-but I d-d-don't -"**

**"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."**

**He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.**

**"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.**

**"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold **

Frank and Lily stiffened.

**but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right**

And then let out a breath they were both holding.

**- talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."**

"It's not exactly stealing. The House-Elves can't wait to give it away." said Remus, smiling.

**"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this..."**

**He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them,**

"Good idea."

**then he told them what he'd seen and heard.**

**"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus- I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through -"**

"But why would Snape need help with that. Even as a first year, he knew more about Dark Arts than most of the seventh years combined." James said frowning.

**"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.**

**"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.**

"Too right it will." Sirius said bitterly.

"I'm not sure. I don't know if it is Snape." said Remus, frowning.

"Alright who do you think it is?

"Quirrell."

"Quirrell? The stuttering coward who's afraid of his own students? What makes you think that?" Sirius asked, confused.

"He's mentioned far too often. Look at his other teachers. Flitwick's always a favourite among the student, but he's only been mentioned about half a dozen times." Remus explained.

"I still think it's Snape."

"Because you want it to be Snape. You want him to be the bad guy."

"Care to make a wager on that?"

"Five Galleons."

"Okay. Anyone else?" Most people opted to stay out of this. Snape looked like the bad guy, but what Remus said made sense.

"James?" Sirius and Remus asked.

"I'm going to wait and see with this, guys." It was true James would be perfectly willing to assign blame to Snape, but Remus had made a lot of sense with what he said. He'd look a bit of an idiot for assigning Snape blame simply because he hated the man's guts. Besides, he didn't think that would go over too well with Lily.

"Okay then, well that was the end of the chapter." Dorcas said, passing the book to Caradoc.

* * *

_**Read and Review please! Concrit welcome!**_


	14. Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Caradoc took the book from Dorcas. He looked at the title and paled.

"What is it?" Lily asked, resigned to the worst, "What now?"

Caradoc took a deep breath, and read...

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**NORBERT THE NORWEGIAN RIDGEBACK**

"Why is this chapter named after a dragon?" James asked weakly.

"Maybe they read about dragons somewhere, and decided Norwegian Ridgeback was too long a name, and so referred to it as Norbert." Lily said hopefully.

"Maybe one of them got a model of a Norwegian Ridgeback and called it Norbert." Alice said, praying she was right.

"Maybe Hagrid finally got the dragon he always wanted." Sirius said reasonably.

At this the respective parents and McGonagall glared at Hagrid, clearly saying "You better hope that's not true!" Hagrid, however, was oblivious to all this, as he was staring, doe-eyed, into space, picturing his dream come true of finally getting his own dragon.

**Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet.**

**Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. **

"Good idea." Moody growled, approvingly.

**Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.**

"Aww. That's sweet." Molly cooed.

**Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and colour coding all her notes. Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.**

**"Hermione, the exams are ages away."**

**"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. **

"That's a bit much." Lily frowned, "I'd hate to see what she's like when OWLs role around."

**"That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."**

"But they're not six hundred years old." Sirius said

**"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. **

Sirius sighed, as everyone chuckled at him. It had been a while since that had happened; besides, he had accepted that Ron was really like him. There were worse people to be like, he thought proudly.

As though Sirius had said this aloud, Remus slapped him upside the head, and said, "Zero your ego Sirius. There may be worse people to be like, but I can think of better people to like as well."

"Like who?" Sirius asked glaring.

"Me." Remus replied smugly. Sirius sighed, good naturedly. He had set himself up for that one after all.

**"Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."**

"You still need to review." Frank frowned.

**"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..."**

"Wow. She's eager." Dorcas blinked.

**Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. **

"They never are." Sturgis sighed.

**It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with her, trying to get through all their extra work.**

**"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.**

"I hate it when the weather taunts you like that." James moaned.

**Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"**

"When do you ever go into the library?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Oi! I do go in there sometimes." Hagrid said, offended.

"Oh, Hagrid." the twins sighed, "We had such high hopes for you." they said, shaking their heads.

**Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.**

**"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?" **

**"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St -"**

"Don't go shouting stuff like that in the library!" Bill said, incredulous.

**"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"**

**"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy -"**

"How are they not grasping the whole 'Don't go shouting it about' bit?" Charlie asked.

**"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh -"**

"Well, you sort did, Hagrid." said Alice. Hagrid huffed.

**"See you later, then," said Harry. Hagrid shuffled off.**

**"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.**

**"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"**

"I don't think so." Remus said, frowning. "I think it had something to do with dragons."

The parents renewed their glares at Hagrid, not wanting a dragon near their children.

**"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.**

**"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."**

The glares intensified, making Hagrid recoil.

**"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him, " said Harry.**

"He tells everyone the first time they ever meet him." Sirius chuckled, enjoying the spectacle of Hagrid inching back, under the parents' fury. Truly, he was worried about Harry and his friends, but he also had the common sense to see that there were seven books about Harry's (and most likely his friends') adventures. If Harry got hurt, then there would be hell to pay, but if not, then why not enjoy the hilarious silent berating that Hagrid was getting.

**"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. **

"He's right. Everyone knows that." Charlie piped up.

Most of the adults stared at him, wide eyed. "I didn't know that." Benji said.

"I think that may be something Ron's learned from you Charlie." Arthur smiled at his son, before turning back to Hagrid. Charlie beamed with pride at the thought.

**It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns**

**Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."**

Molly flinched, imagining her son near wild dragons.

"Mum, I'll be fine." Charlie soothed. She didn't look at all reassured.

**"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.**

**"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."**

**"So what on earths Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.**

"I don't want to know." Lily murmured, closing her eyes.

**When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.**

**It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.**

**"So - yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"**

**"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."**

"You'll never get it out of him like that, Harry." Remus laughed.

**Hagrid frowned at him.**

**"O' course I can't, he said."Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts – I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."**

"Oh, they just fancied a night time stroll." said Edgar.

**"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice.**

"Now that's the way to do it." Remus nodded, smiling.

"That, or get him drunk. They don't call alcohol the universal truth serum for nothing." Sirius agreed, as Hagrid spluttered indignantly.

**Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."**

"And now Hagrid will tell you anything you want." the twins laughed.

**Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione.**

**"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... **

"Oh, Hagrid." McGonagall sighed.

**he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall -" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."**

"So it'd be easy enough to find out about the other enchantments, seeing as it's a teacher trying to steal it." Dedalus said, "Either Snape or Quirrell."

**"Snape?"**

**"Yeah - yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."**

"Actually Hagrid, that'd be the perfect position for someone to be in it they were trying to steal it." Emmaline said reasonably.

**Harry knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as he was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything - except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.**

"If it is Snape, it's probably just Fluffy. I mean, Snape's no idiot, and he knows mass amounts about the dark arts now. He's had ten years to keep studying." Remus said.

**"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"**

**"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.**

"Well, there's that at least." Frank murmured.

**"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."**

**"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it, too.**

**"Hagrid - what's that?"**

**But he already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.**

McGonagall rested her head in her hands. "You finally did it." she murmured, "You finally got your hands on a dragon."

Hagrid beamed, oblivious to the looks he was getting from everyone around the table, from the angry, to the downright incredulous.

**"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's er..."**

**"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."**

**"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."**

"Of course he was glad to be rid of it Hagrid. They're illegal. And for good reason." Marlene said.

**"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.**

**"Well, I've bin doin' some readin' , said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize diff'rent eggs - what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."**

"And incredibly dangerous. In terms of dragons, they're second only to the Hungarian Horntail." said Charlie. Everyone but Hagrid just groaned.

**He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.**

**"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.**

"A wooden house, on the grounds of a school, which is frequently visited by school children." Lily said, incredulous.

**But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.**

The adults sighed.

**So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.**

"Nothing good." Aberforth muttered.

**"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, **

"Merlin I wish they knew." Molly sighed.

**as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had now started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts.**

"Ah, leave her be. Moony did the same for us, and anyway, they can come in handy." Sirius said. Remus smiled smugly, but refrained from telling him, 'I told you so.'

**Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid.**

**He had written only two words: It's hatching.**

**Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.**

"Good girl." McGonagall said approvingly.

**"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"**

"Hopefully never." Lily muttered.

**"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing -"**

**"Shut up!" Harry whispered.**

**Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Harry didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.**

"Uh oh." Percy said.

**Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. **

**Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.**

**"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.**

**The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it. They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.**

**All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.**

"Sounds beautiful." said Alice, sarcastically, not noticing Hagrid and Charlie nodding their agreement as if she's been perfectly sincere.

**It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.**

**"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.**

**"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.**

**"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"**

"Fast. Very fast." said Charlie.

**Hagrid was about to answer when the colour suddenly drained from his face - he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.**

**"What's the matter?"**

**"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - it's a kid - he's runnin' back up ter the school."**

**Harry bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.**

**Malfoy had seen the dragon.**

Everyone groaned.

**Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and Hermione very nervous. They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.**

"Good luck. Hagrid never sees reason about his pets." Sirius sighed.

**"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."**

**"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."**

**They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his game keeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.**

**"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"**

"He's lost his mind." said Bill.

**"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.**

**"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."**

"It would probably be better if someone tells me, that way I would be in a position to help." Albus sighed.

**Hagrid bit his lip.**

**"I - I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."**

**Harry suddenly turned to Ron. "Charlie" he said.**

Charlie frowned. "He's Ron." he said confused. The adults chuckled. They could see where this was going.

**"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"**

**"No - Charlie - your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"**

"Yeah! Send him to me!" Charlie cheered at the prospect of his little brother sending him a baby dragon.

**"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"**

**And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.**

Charlie smiled.

**The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.**

**"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. **

Charlie gasped. "He needs to go to the hospital wing. Ridgebacks are poisonous." Molly and Arthur groaned.

**"I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. **

"Hagrid!" the Weasleys and Prewetts said sternly.

**And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."**

**There was a tap on the dark window.**

**"It's Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"**

**The three of them put their heads together to read the note.**

**Dear Ron,**

**How are you? Thanks for the letter - I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon.**

"That would be bad." Frank frowned.

**Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.**

**Send me an answer as soon as possible.**

**Love,**

**Charlie**

**They looked at one another.**

"Do it! Do it! Do it." Molly and Lily pleaded.

**"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult - I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."**

"Thank Merlin they're so titchy." Remus said.

**It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other two agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert - and Malfoy.**

**There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey - would she recognize a dragon bite? **

"Probably."

**By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.**

**Harry and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.**

**"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me - I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me **

"Of course she doesn't." Sirius scoffed, "There are no poisonous dogs."

**-I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."**

"He would've done it anyway, the slimy git." Bill said.

**Harry and Hermione tried to calm Ron down.**

**"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.**

"What now?" Alice groaned.

**"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no - I've just remembered - Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."**

**Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.**

**"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."**

"Thanks Merlin for small favours." Emmaline sighed.

**They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them. **

**"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle."**

**When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.**

"I think the latter's more likely." Frank said, shaking his head.

**"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot - jus' playin' - he's only a baby, after all."**

**The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.**

**They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.**

**"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."**

Everyone gawked at him.

**From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Harry as though the teddy was having his head torn off.**

"Poor teddy. What did it do to deserve to die like that?" Percy sighed.

**"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"**

**How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another - even one of Harry's shortcuts didn't make the work much easier.**

**"Nearly there!" Harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.**

**Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. **

**Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, **

"Good invisibility cloak practise anyway. Makes it less likely for someone to walk into you." said James, both him and Remus smirking at Sirius, while he muttered under his breath, "Two times...Merlin, two times...never let it go...less than Pete...prats."

**staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.**

**Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.**

**"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you -"**

Everyone chuckled.

**"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming - he's got a dragon!"**

**"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on - I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"**

"He's telling the truth as well." Fabian laughed.

"That makes it even funnier." Gideon agreed.

**The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.**

Everyone laughed at the mental image.

**"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"**

**"Don't," Harry advised her.**

"Good idea."

**Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.**

**Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them.**

**They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Harry and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.**

**At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.**

Everyone (besides Hagrid) cheered, Charlie loudest of all, because he was getting the dragon.

**They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon - Malfoy in detention - what could spoil their happiness?**

"Oh no. They just had to say that didn't they." James groaned.

**The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.**

**"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."**

**They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.**

"Rookie mistake." Remus groaned.

"Idiots." Sirius sighed.

"That was the end of the chapter." Caradoc said.

"Would everyone like to come to the Great Hall to get some lunch?" Albus asked the room. There were murmured agreements, and the parents collected their children, and everyone made their way down to the Great Hall, discussing everything that had happened, or Charlie and Hagrid's case, having an intense discussion about dragons.

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_**Read and Review please! Concrit welcome!**_


	15. The Forbidden Forest

_**Disclaimer in the first chapter.**_

* * *

After returning from lunch in the Great Hall, everyone sat down around the table. Lily and Molly decided not to put Harry and Ron in the playpen with the other children, as they were getting a sense of foreboding with the nearing end to the book. So Lily held Harry in her arms and Arthur conjured a chair for Percy to sit next to him and held Ron on his lap.

Sturgis opened the book and groaned.

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**THE FORIBIDDEN FOREST**

"What!"

"Why are they going in there? It's forbidden for a reason." Lily cried.

**Things couldn't have been worse.**

"Never say that Harry! Things can always get worse." Remus said.

**Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. **

"Always have a good excuse before you do anything." Sirius said wisely.

"Until you get to third year, and then no one believes your excuses no matter how good." James sighed.

"Yeah but in third year we finished the map, so most of the time, we didn't need the excuses." Sirius muttered.

**He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.**

"Well, she doesn't know about the cloak, and she thought that Malfoy was lying about the dragon, so you're just going to get in trouble for being out past curfew and being in the astronomy tower. Most you'll get is a detention and you'll probably lose about thirty points." Remus said.

**Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong.**

"What now?" the twins moaned.

**When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.**

"What?" said Frank and Alice.

**"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag -"**

"Oh, Neville." Frank groaned.

**Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.**

"You know," Sirius said, looking at McGonagall's affronted face, "I've often thought that, but never dared say it." She glared him.

**"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."**

**It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.**

**"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"**

"Oh, come on Professor. From what we've seen of Harry, you should know he's not the sort to do that." James said.

**Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville - Harry knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.**

**"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! **

"Now that's a lie, if ever I heard one." Remus laughed.

"Well, I can hardly say, 'I've never heard of such a thing since your father and his friends were at school.'" McGonagall huffed.

**You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. **

"Wow. You're laying the guilt trip on heavy." Emmaline said.

**All three of you will receive detentions - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."**

"Fifty? Wow that's harsh. We wouldn't have lost that much." James said.

**"Fifty?" Harry gasped**

"No, Harry! Don't question her." Sirius groaned.

"Why not?" asked Benji.

"You'll see."

**- they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.**

**"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.**

"That's why."

"No offense Professor, but that's really unfair. We wouldn't have lost anywhere near that much for being up late and out of bounds." Remus said.

"Us either." the twins said.

McGonagall shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was quite unfair.

**"Professor - please**

**"You can't -"**

**"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."**

"That's not true either." said Sirius.

**A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?**

**Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. **

"Poor Neville." sighed Alice.

**Harry couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself, was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?**

"They're going to slaughter you."

**At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first years.**

"Poor kids." Caradoc sighed.

**From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. **

**Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"**

James and Lily frowned.

**Only Ron stood by him.**

"Of course he did. That's what mates do." James said, as Molly and Arthur smiled at the support their son was giving his friends.

**"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."**

Fabian and Gideon beamed with pride.

**"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.**

**"Well - no," Ron admitted.**

**It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. **

"With Lily's curiosity and James' determination, anyone want to guess how long that new resolve's going to last?" Dorcas chuckled.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other, and said "Twenty minutes." together.

**He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.**

"No Harry! Don't resign! What good will that do?" James cried.

**"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"**

**But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him "the Seeker."**

Molly and Arthur frowned. Fred and George were on the team, and it said the entire team.

**Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.**

"That must have been hard for her."

**Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. **

"No Harry! Don't go over to the dark side." Sirius wailed.

**All the studying he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions...**

**Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. **

"Didn't think it would last." laughed Marlene.

"He lasted longer than we thought he would." said Remus, impressed.

**Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.**

**"No - no - not again, please -"**

"What's going on?" Charlie asked confused.

**It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.**

**"All right - all right -" he heard Quirrell sob.**

**Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. **

Dumbledore, Moody and Remus frowned. There was something odd about that turban.

**He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him.**

**He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.**

**All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step - Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.**

**Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he'd heard.**

**"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell -"**

"But he wouldn't need to." James frowned, "Snape's intelligent enough to do it on his own."

**"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.**

**"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. **

"I seriously doubt that." Edgar frowned.

**So what do we do, Harry?"**

**The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.**

**"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."**

"Good girl." McGonagall nodded.

**"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. **

"Dumbledore would listen. Dumbledore would listen if you said you had a tap-dancing Jarvey on your back."

**Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."**

"Unfortunately he's got a good point." said Benji.

**Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.**

**"If we just do a bit of poking around -"**

**"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."**

**He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons.**

**The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:**

**Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. **

"That's a bit late for detention isn't it?"asked Elphias.

**Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.**

**Professor McGonagall **

**Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore over the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got.**

**At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there - and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.**

**"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. **

"I dunno. We never did." said Sirius.

**"Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... **

"They will never be needed." Albus said, darkly.

**Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."**

**They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.**

**The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.**

**"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."**

**Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed in his -face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."**

There was a moment of silence. Then...

"WHAT!"

"You're sending first years into the Forest for detention!" Lily and Alice shrieked.

McGonagall looked gobsmacked. She never would have dreamed of sending student, first year students at that, into the forest.

**At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.**

**"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard."**

"Not for over ten years Malfoy." Remus said.

**Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.**

**"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?" **

"Who expects to be sent into the Forbidden Forest for being out of bed late?" James asked, incredulous.

**Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.**

**"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"**

"Well, at least if they're in the Forest with Hagrid they'll be safe." Remus said, trying to calm down the hysterical mothers, "There's nothing in the Forest that will hurt Hagrid."

Lily and Alice calmed down. Slightly.

**"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."**

**"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh?'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."**

**"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, **

"Git." said Charlie, scathingly.

**and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.**

**Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.**

**"I'm not going in that forest, he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.**

**"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."**

"I reckon you know it was him that got them into trouble." said Frank.

**"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd**

**be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this..."**

"He'd tell you to buck up your ideas and get on with it." Sirius said. "Complaining like that will make people believe that he hasn't raised him to be able to take punishment properly."

"**He'd tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on"'**

**Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.**

**"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, **

The parents groaned.

**an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."**

**He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.**

**"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. **

Everyone gasped.

"What could hurt a unicorn?" asked Lily, weakly.

"Better question is, what could catch a unicorn?" James said darkly.

**There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."**

Everyone frowned at the thought of having to kill something as pure as a unicorn.

**"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.**

**"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."**

**"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.**

"Won't help. Because Hagrid's named him Fang, that's sure sign that he's a right coward." Sirius said.

**"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. **

"See."

**" So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other.**

"You shouldn't be splitting up in the forest." Remus frowned, as Frank and Alice scowled at the thought of Neville not only having to go with Malfoy, but being separated from Hagrid as well.

**Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."**

**The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.**

**They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.**

**Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.**

**"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.**

"Nah. We're not that fast." Remus said, frowning, wondering what was fast enough.

**"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."**

**They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.**

**"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter – GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"**

"What is it?!" the women shrieked, while the men in the room looked grave.

**Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.**

**"I knew it, " he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."**

**"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.**

"Give it a rest with the werewolf theory, Harry." James scowled.

Remus sighed, "Malfoy's put the idea in their heads, that's why he keeps referring to werewolves."

**"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."**

**They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.**

**Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.**

**"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"**

**And into the clearing came - was it a man, or a horse? **

"Not the centaurs." Sirius groaned.

**To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.**

**"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"**

**He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.**

**"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"**

**"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."**

**"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly. "Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"**

**"Erm -"**

**"A bit," said Hermione timidly.**

"A bit." the twins scoffed.

**"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."**

"Don't start going on about the planets." James moaned.

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?"**

"You won't get an answer." Frank said, shaking his head.

**Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.**

**"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"**

**"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."**

"Enough with Mars already." Benji huffed.

**"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"**

**Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."**

**A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.**

**"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"**

**"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"**

**"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"**

**Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.**

Lily blanched, and said, "I've just realised, doesn't Mars symbolise war."

"Yes." said Alice, "And if it's bright, it means it's soon."

Everyone looked at the book fearfully.

**"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."**

**Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.**

**"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."**

"And even that's rare. The moon's too constant." said Remus, "They only refer to the phases of the moon in conjunction with something else."

"How do you know?"

"I read Sirius. You should try it sometime."

**"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.**

**"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."**

**"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.**

**"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."**

**They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they were being watched. **

"With Harry's senses, they probably are." said Bill.

**He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them.**

**They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.**

**"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"**

Frank and Alice blanched.

**"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"**

"Take them with you!" Lily growled.

**They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.**

**"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.**

Alice whimpered, and Frank pulled her close.

**"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place."**

**The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig.**

**What was going on? Where were the others?**

**At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.**

"Idiot!" Sirius snarled, "He should at least have the common sense to know not to pull something that stupid when they're in the Forest. In the middle of the night."

**"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."**

"Seems like Hagrid's got a high opinion of Harry's nerves." said Dedalus.

**So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.**

**"Look -" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.**

**Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. **

Everyone looked sadly at the book, all of them wondering, 'What could kill a unicorn?'

**Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.**

**Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...**

**Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.**

"What!"

Bill, Charlie and Percy were looking curiously at the adults. They understood that it was unthinkable to attack something as pure and good as a unicorn, and understood that it was disgusting to even think about drinking a unicorn's blood, but they didn't understand the looks of absolute horror on the adults' faces.

As Bill opened his mouth to ask, Sturgis began to read again in a shaky voice...

**"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"**

**Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry - he couldn't move for fear.**

"Don't freeze Harry! Run!"

**Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. **

"What? Why would his scar be burning?" Remus asked, not expecting to get an answer.

Dumbledore began pondering this.

**Half blinded, he staggered backward. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure.**

"Thanks Merlin." Lily and James sighed.

**The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.**

"A centaur?!" Emmaline blinked. "But they never get involved."

**"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.**

**"Yes - thank you - what was that?"**

**The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.**

**"You are the Potter boy," he said. **

"Wow!" James said astonished. "He's even known by centaurs."

**"You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time - especially for you. **

"What does he mean 'especially for you'?" Lily wondered, fearfully.

**Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.**

"No way." said Sirius. "No effing way!"

**"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.**

**There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.**

**"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"**

**"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."**

**"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"**

**Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice. **

**Bane kicked his back legs in anger.**

**"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"**

**Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had**

**to grab his shoulders to stay on.**

**"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."**

"So it's actually their culture that stops them from saying anything or getting involved with us." Marlene said, curiously.

**And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.**

**Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.**

**"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"**

"That's what we'd like to know." James murmured.

**Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. **

"I don't think so. I think he's pondering his answer, and looking for a place they won't be overheard." Remus said.

**They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.**

"See."

**"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used -for?"**

Bill, Charlie and Percy perked up, as they had been wondering about this.

**"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."**

**"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."**

Everyone looked sick, no more than the children, who'd been unaware of this knowledge.

**Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.**

**"But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"**

"Without a doubt.

**"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"**

**"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who -"**

**"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"**

Everyone grew pale at thought of Voldemort being so close to the children and Hagrid.

**It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: **

**"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."**

**"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"**

**"Harry! Harry, are you all right?"**

**Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.**

**"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."**

**"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."**

**Harry slid off his back.**

**"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."**

"Me too." James murmured.

**He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.**

**Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest. Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.**

"Don't blame him. I would be." Dedalus said.

**"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..."**

**"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.**

"It's just a name."

**Harry wasn't listening.**

**"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."**

**"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.**

**"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."**

"That's pessimistic." Charlie said.

**Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.**

**"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. **

"That's true." Alice said, happily able to see the silver lining.

**With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."**

"Much of it is," said Albus, "But centaurs are generally quite accurate with their predictions." McGonagall huffed.

**The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.**

"What now?" Lily moaned.

**When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. **

Lily sighed in relief, while James beamed at the thought that Harry hadn't managed to lose his cloak.

**There was a note pinned to it:**

**Just in case.**

"Well, that's it." said Sturgis, passing the book to Arthur.

* * *

_**Read and Review please! Concrit welcome!**_


	16. Through the Trapdoor

_**Disclaimer is in the first chapter. I don't like writing it out.**_

* * *

Molly placed Ginny, fast asleep, in a freshly conjured crib, and took Ron off his father and held him in her lap, as Arthur took the book.

Arthur read the chapter title and paled.

He took a deep breath and read...

**CHAPTE****R SIXTEEN **

**THROUG****H THE TRAPDOOR**

"Why are they going through that trap door?!" Lily and Molly screeched.

**I****n years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.**

"I think Voldemort's a bit more subtle than that." said Remus.

**It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an AntiCheating spell.**

"You'd think they don't trust us." Sirius sniggered.

"Mr. Black, every year, at least one student tries to cheat on their exams. The Anti Cheating Quills are a necessity." McGonagall said, sternly.

"Not us. We aced our exams every year." he said smugly.

**They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. **

"I remember that one." said Lily, cheerfully.

**Pr****o****fessor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox - points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers.**

"I did that exam perfectly." said James.

"Yes, James, we all know of your talents in transfiguration." Alice laughed. James huffed.

**Sn****a****p****e made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.**

"Surely the fumes from that potion aren't going to help much." Lily frowned.

"Not to mention Snape's terrifying them all with his presence." Sirius muttered.

**Harr****y did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest. Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by **

**his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it**.

Everyone frowned at the mention of his nightmares.

**Ma****y****b****e it was because they hadn't seen what Harry had seen in the forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.**

"I think they are worried, but are just trying to hide it." said Frank.

**Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented selfstirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. **

"The best week of the school year." Fabian and Gideon sighed wistfully.

"I dunno. I think the first week of the Christmas holidays is amazing too." Frank laughed.

**W****h****e****n the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.**

**"****T****h****a****t was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."**

"Wow. She really does prepare."

**H****ermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."**

**Harry was rubbing his forehead.**

**"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."**

"Go to Madam Pomfrey." said Emmaline.

**"****G****o to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.**

She just looked at the book, as everyone chuckled at her.

**"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..."**

The laughter stopped. Everyone frowned at the book.

**Ro****n couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.**

**"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as**

**D****u****m****bled****o****re'****s around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."**

"Hey!" said Alice, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Judging by his flying lesson, he's not the best flyer sweetheart." said Frank, soothingly. Alice's frown lessened. A little.

**H****arry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. **

"I hate it when that happens." James groaned.

**W****he****n he tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."**

"I don't think Harry's that fussed about his exams, to be honest." said Marlene.

**Harr****y was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore.**

"Never." Hagrid vowed.

**Ha****g****rid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but –**

**H****arry suddenly jumped to his feet.**

"He thinks Hagrid did tell someone." Molly said frowning. Hagrid glared at the book, as though daring it to contradict him.

**"****W****h****ere're you going?" said Ron sleepily.**

**"****I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."**

**"****W****h****y****?****" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.**

**"****D****on****'****t you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"**

"Oh no." Lily murmured. Hagrid looked down ashamed.

**"****W****h****at are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.**

**Ha****g****rid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.**

**"****H****u****ll****o****,****" he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?" **

**"****Y****es****, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.**

**"****N****o****, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know**

** th****a****t night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"**

"**D****u****nn****o****,****" said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off." He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.**

**"It****'****s not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."**

**H****arry sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"**

**"****Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks...**

"So, he obviously knew Hagrid well enough to know he's a conversationalist, and that alcohol loosens his tongue." Remus said, frowning.

**Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."**

"Oh, Hagrid."

**"****A****n****d did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.**

**"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight of ter sleep -"**

Everyone groaned.

Hagrid looked so ashamed of himself that even McGonagall didn't have the heart to berate him.

**H****agrid suddenly looked horrified.**

**"****I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?"**

**Harr****y****, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.**

**"****W****e'v****e got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry.**

"Finally!" Lily sighed.

**"****H****agr****i****d told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"**

"Harry!" James scolded, "How could you not know where Dumbledore's office is? You should have been there at least half a dozen times by now.", much to Sirius, Remus and the twins' amusement. Lily glared at them.

**T****h****e****y looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.**

"Why don't they just ask Fred and George?" asked Sirius, "They'd be the obvious candidates."

**"****W****e'l****l just have to -" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.**

**"****W****h****at are you three doing inside?"**

**I****t was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.**

"Good. She can point you in the right direction." Benji said.

**"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought.**

**"Se****e Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"**

**Harr****y swallowed - now what?**

**"It****'****s sort of secret," he said, **

"Bad move." Sirius groaned, "She hates secrets."

**b****u****t he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.**

**"Pro****f****essor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."**

"What?!"

**"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"**

**"Pro****f****essor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time –**

**"****But this is important."**

**"So****m****eth****in****g you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter.**

"Yes, funnily enough it is." Lily said, shrilly.

**"****L****o****o****k****,****" said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor - it's about the Philosopher's Stone -"**

"Too blunt." said Remus.

**W****hatev****e****r Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up. **

**"****H****o****w do you know -?" she spluttered.**

"Now, that's impressive." Sirius said, "You know Prongs, your son has an amazing ability to do things, that took us years and many detentions to do, with amazing ease. And without getting detention for it." he finished proudly.

**"Professor, I think - I know - that Sn- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."**

**Sh****e eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.**

**"Pro****f****essor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally.**

"That won't be much use as the Stone's going to be stolen that night." McGonagall mumbled, head in her hands.

**I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."**

**"But Professor -"**

**"****Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."**

**B****u****t they didn't.**

"Of course they didn't." Alice said.

**"****It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."**

**"****But what can we -"**

**H****ermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round. Snape was standing there.**

**"****G****o****o****d afternoon," he said smoothly. They stared at him. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.**

**"****W****e were -" Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say. **

**"****Y****o****u want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around**

**l****i****k****e this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"**

"Git."

**Harr****y flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back. "Be warned, Potter - any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."**

"Greasy slimy git."

**H****e strode off in the direction of the staffroom.**

**O****u****t on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.**

**"R****i****g****h****t****, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."**

**"****W****h****y me?"**

"Because she can pretend to be waiting for a teacher." said Bill.

**"It****'****s obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong...'"**

**"****O****h****, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for**

**Snape.**

**"****A****n****d we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. **

**"Co****m****e on."**

**But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.**

"They should have used the cloak." James sighed.

**"****I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor!**

"From your own house?" asked Charlie, astonished.

** Yes, Weasley, from my own house!" **

Everyone chuckled at Charlie's flabbergasted face.

**H****arry and Ron went back to the common room, Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.**

**"I'****m sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him,**

**a****n****d I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."**

Everyone groaned.

**"****W****e****ll****, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.**

**The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.**

**"I'****m going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."**

**"****Y****ou****'****r****e mad!" said Ron.**

**"****Y****o****u can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"**

**"****SO WHAT" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"**

Lily and James were beaming with pride. Sure, they were scared about what he would have to face down there, but they were immensely proud of the way he stood up for what he believed in, he could accept that this had to be done, and had the courage to do it himself.

**He glared at them.**

**"****Y****ou****'****r****e right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.**

**"****I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."**

"I don't think luck had much to do with it." McGonagall said, frowning at Albus.

**"B****u****t will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.**

** "All - all three of us?"**

"They're not going to let you go alone, Harry." Remus said.

**"****O****h****, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"**

Harry's parents smiled at his good choice in friends.

**"****O****f course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful..."**

**"B****u****t if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."**

"Didn't he just tell them that getting expelled didn't matter?" asked Edgar.

**"****N****o****t if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. **

"Wow."

**They're not throwing me out after that."**

**After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.**

**Slo****w****l****y****, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.**

**"Be****t****te****r get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He putted out the cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy - he didn't feel much like singing.**

"That's handy." Sturgis commented, as Hagrid looked down. He had even given them the means to get past Fluffy.

Noticing this, Lily said, "Hagrid, enough. This is Voldemort (ignoring his flinch)we're talking about. He would have found another way if you hadn't told him. At least this way, no one got hurt." Hagrid smiled weakly at her.

**H****e ran back down to the common room.**

**"****W****e'****d better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own -"**

"That wouldn't be good." frowned Dorcas.

**"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.**

"Neville." everyone groaned.

**"****N****o****th****i****n****g****, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.**

**Neville stared at their guilty faces. "You're going out again," he said.**

**"****N****o****, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"**

"They need to work on their lying skills." Fabien commented.

**H****arry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford**

**to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.**

**"****Y****o****u can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."**

**"****Y****o****u don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."**

**B****u****t Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate. I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"**

"It's good that he's standing up for himself, but this has got to be the worst possible time to do it." Frank sighed.

**"Neville, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot**

**-"**

"Don't call my son an idiot!" Frank and Alice glared.

**"****D****on****'****t you call me an idiot!" said Neville. I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"**

"Yes, but to Malfoy and his cronies, not to them." Emmaline groaned.

**"****Ye****s****, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."**

**H****e took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.**

**"****G****o on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"**

**Harry turned to Hermione.**

"Yes. When in doubt, turn to Hermione." James and Sirius said, "Somehow that seems familiar." both turning to look at Remus. The werewolf chuckled.

**"****D****o something," he said desperately. Hermione stepped forward.**

**"****N****e****v****i****l****le****," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this." She raised her wand.**

"She cursed my son?!" Alice said, shrilly.

**"Pet****r****i****f****i****c****u****s Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.**

"At least it wasn't anything horrific." Caradoc said.

**N****eville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.**

**H****ermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.**

**"****W****hat'****v****e you done to him?" Harry whispered.**

**"It****'****s the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."**

"At least she's sorry about it." Alice huffed, quietly.

**"****W****e had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.**

**"****Y****ou****'****l****l understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.**

**B****u****t leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen.**

"I would worry if they thought it was." James said.

**I****n their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.**

**"****O****h****, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, **

"Do it!" Sirius cheered.

**b****u****t Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.**

**They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.**

Everyone groaned.

"He can sense invisible people as well." Remus said.

**"****W****ho'****s there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"**

**H****e rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.**

**"****Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen." **

**Harry had a sudden idea.**

**"Pe****e****ves****,****" he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."**

"That is brilliant."

"How come we never thought of that?" Sirius asked the other marauders. They just shook their heads.

**Pee****v****e****s almost fell out of the air in shock. **

"I would pay to see that."

**H****e caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.**

**"S****o sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you - of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."**

**"****I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."**

"Brilliant."

**"****I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."**

**A****n****d he scooted off**

**"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron.**

**A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor**

**- and the door was already ajar.**

**"****W****ell****, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past**

**Fluffy."**

**Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other two.**

**"I****f you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."**

"They're not going to leave you." Remus smiled at his unofficial nephew's choice in friends.

**"****D****on****'****t be stupid," said Ron. "We're coming," said Hermione. Harry pushed the door open.**

**A****s the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it**

**couldn't see them.**

**"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.**

**"****L****o****ok****s like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."**

"No offence to the kids, but I just don't see Snape playing the harp" Gideon frowned.

"He wouldn't" Lily replied, "He prefers muggle instruments, but he listens to things like the cello. And as far as I'm aware, he can't play an instrument."

Gideon nodded slowly, while those who didn't go to school with Lily looked confused as to why she would know this, however the looks on the faces of her school friends kept them from asking.

James wrapped his arm around Lily as she sighed and leant her head on his shoulder.

**"****It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."**

**H****e put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.**

"That was easy." Elphias said.

**"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. **

**"****I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"**

"Such chivalry."

**"****N****o****, I don't!"**

"And there's that Gryffindor courage."

**"****A****l****l right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.**

**"****W****ha****t can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.**

**"****N****o****th****i****n****g - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."**

**Harr****y****, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.**

**"****Y****o****u want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."**

**Harr****y handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.**

**H****arry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.**

"So he's just going to drop into a pit, where he can't see the bottom, with no idea what's down there?" Lily asked, leaning into James, clutching Harry closer to her chest.

**H****e lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"**

"Why didn't they just do that in the first place?" asked Molly.

"What kind of Gryffindor would do that?" Sirius huffed.

"Smart ones."

**"****Right," said Ron.**

**"Se****e you in a minute, I hope...**

"That's comforting." Lily whimpered.

**A****n****d Harry let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and - FLUMP.**

"Flump?"

"Better than 'SPLAT' I suppose." said Sirius. Lily glared at him.

**W****it****h a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.**

"A plant?" James frowned.

**"It's okay!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"**

**R****o****n followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry. "What's this stuff?" were his first words.**

**"****D****u****nn****o****, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. **

"Why do I doubt that?" asked Lily.

"Because if someone's trying to steal the Stone, I don't think the teachers would be too worried about them breaking their legs." Remus answered, honestly.

**Co****m****e on, Hermione!"**

**T****h****e distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but**

**H****ermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.**

**"****W****e must be miles under the school , she said. "Lucky this plant thing's here,** **re****a****ll****y****,****" said Ron.**

** "Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"**

"What now." Lily asked, eyes closed.

**S****h****e leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.**

"Devil's Snare." Alice yelled. Everyone paled, and looked at the book fearfully.

**H****ermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.**

"They've got to stop moving, it's only going to get worse." Alice said. Molly and Lily whimpered in fear for their sons. The Marauders, Arthur and the twins all grew stony. Bill and Charlie shifted closer to their parents.

**"S****t****o****p moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!"**

**"****O****h****, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck. **

**"****S****h****u****t up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.**

"Light a fire." Alice said.

**"****W****ell****, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.**

**"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? - it likes the dark and the damp**

**"S****o light a fire!" Harry choked.**

**"****Y****e****s - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.**

"Is she mental! She's a witch! She's been lighting fires all year! She set Snape on fire!" Sirius said, incredulous.

**"****HAV****E YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?" **

**"****O****h****, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.**

Everyone sighed in relief.

**"****L****u****c****k****y you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.**

**"****Yea****h****,****" said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis -**

**'****th****e****re'****s no wood,' honestly."**

"That _was_ ridiculous." Marlene said.

**"****T****h****i****s way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.**

**A****l****l they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon - Norbert had been bad enough...**

"Please don't meet another dragon." Molly murmured.

**"Ca****n you hear something?" Ron whispered.**

**H****arry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.**

**"****D****o you think it's a ghost?"**

"Ghosts don't sound like that." Benji frowned.

**"****I don't know... sounds like wings to me."**

"He can hear that?" asked Edgar.

"Wouldn't surprise me. Harry's got sharp senses, and wings is something seekers learn to listen for." James said.

**"****T****here****'****s light ahead - I can see something moving."**

**T****h****ey reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.**

**"****D****o you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.**

"Probably."

**"Pr****o****b****a****bl****y****,****" said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run."**

**He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked.**

**T****h****e other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.**

"Well, it is a pretty basic charm." Sirius said.

"A pretty basic charm that got them into the third floor corridor in the first place." Bill said. Sirius reddened.

"**N****o****w what?" said Ron.**

**"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione. They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering - glittering?**

"Birds don't glitter." Lily frowned.

**"****T****he****y****'re not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes - look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"**

"Ah, so this must be Flitwick's protection." James said.

"He does have a thing for flying." Remus said, "Bit weird, really. You'd think with the amount of times stray spells have sent him flying across his classroom, he'd want to keep his feet firmly on the ground."

**"****But there are hundreds of them!" Ron examined the lock on the door.**

**"****W****e'r****e looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle."**

"Good eye." Moody commented.

**They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the **

**be****wi****t****c****h****e****d keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.**

"Come on guys. You can do it!" the twins cheered.

**N****o****t for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.**

"You'd think Flitwick would have charmed them so they'd repair themselves to make it less obvious they're looking for one."

**"****T****h****a****t one!" he called to the others. "That big one - there - no, there**

**-****- with bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side."**

**Ro****n went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.**

"Careful." Molly cried.

**"****W****e'****v****e got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above - Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. **

"Good plan." said Moody, approvingly.

**R****ig****ht,**** NOW!"**

**R****o****n dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.**

Everyone cheered.

**T****he****y landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.**

**"****Ready?" Harry asked the other two, his hand on the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open.**

**The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.**

"What now." Lily moaned, and James pulled her tighter into him.

**T****h****e****y were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly - the towering white chessmen had no faces.**

"So this is definitely McGonagall's." the twins said.

"You do have a thing for chess Professor. Second only to Quidditch on your obsessions. You must have transfigured the pieces." James told her.

**"****N****o****w what do we do?" Harry whispered.**

**"****It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."**

**Beh****i****n****d the white pieces they could see another door. "How?" said Hermione nervously.**

**"****I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."**

Everyone blanched. This was going to be dangerous, McGonagall wouldn't do it so it would be like muggle chess. This was going to be real wizard's chess.

**H****e walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.**

**"****D****o we - er - have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.**

**"****T****h****i****s needs thinking about" he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."**

Everyone winced. This was _really _dangerous.

**H****arry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess -"**

"They're not going to get offended about it then." Sturgis said.

**"****W****e'r****e not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do." **

**"****W****e****ll****, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."**

**"****W****h****at about you?"**

**"****I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.**

"Good choices." McGonagall said.

**The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Harry, Ron, and Hermione took.**

**"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes... look..."**

**A white pawn had moved forward two squares.**

**Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?**

"Don't think like that, Harry." James moaned.

**"****H****arr****y - move diagonally four squares to the right."**

**T****h****e****i****r first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.**

Everyone was really worrying now.

**"****Ha****d to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."**

**Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.**

"Thank Merlin Ron's so good at chess." said Charlie.

**"****W****e'r****e nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me think..."**

**The white queen turned her blank face toward him.**

**"Ye****s****...****" said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken." **

"NO!" everyone shouted, loudest of all the Weasleys and the Prewetts.

**"****NO****!" Harry and Hermione shouted.**

**"****T****h****a****t'****s chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"**

"He really is a true Gryffindor." James murmured, scared for the boy a few seats down.

**"But -"**

**"****D****o you want to stop Snape or not?" **

**"Ron -"**

**"****L****o****o****k****, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!" There was no alternative.**

**"Re****a****d****y****?****" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now,**** don't hang around once you've won."**

**H****e stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor - Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.**

Molly clutched Ron tightly to him, murmuring to herself "He'll be alright." Arthur took her hand. Gideon and Fabian got up and picked up their two younger nephews, with Bill following them as they walked back to their seat, and sat the three of them on their knees, holding them tight, as they cried, worried for their brother.

Arthur continued shakily.

**Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.**

**The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.**

**"****W****ha****t if he's -?"**

"Don't say that!" Percy sobbed.

**"****He'****l****l be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself. "What do you reckon's next?"**

**"****W****e'v****e had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."**

**They had reached another door. "All right?" Harry whispered. "Go on."**

**H****arry pushed it open.**

**A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, **

"Not another one!" Lily said.

**out cold with a bloody lump on its head.**

Everyone sighed in relief.

Albus, Moody and Remus frowned. Quirrell had been the one to find the troll on Halloween.

**"****I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."**

**H****e pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.**

"Potions." Alice murmured.

**"****Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"**

**T****he****y stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward.**

**They were trapped.**

"Now what." Caradoc asked.

**"****L****o****o****k****!****" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it:**

**Da****ng****e****r lies before you, **

**Wh****i****l****e safety lies behind,**

**Tw****o of us will help you, **

**Wh****ic****hever you would find, **

**O****n****e among us seven **

**Wi****l****l let you move ahead, **

**A****n****o****t****he****r will transport **

**T****h****e drinker back instead,**

**Tw****o among our number **

**H****ol****d only nettle wine, **

**T****h****re****e of us are killers, **

**Wait****i****n****g hidden in line. **

**C****h****o****o****se****, unless you wish to stay **

**Her****e forevermore,**

**T****o help you in your choice, **

**W****e give you these clues four: **

**F****i****rs****t****, however slyly the poison tries to hide**

**Y****o****u will always find some on nettle wine's left side; **

**Second, different are those who stand at either end, **

**Bu****t if you would move onward, neither is your friend; **

**Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,**

**Ne****i****t****h****er dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; **

**F****o****urt****h****, the second left and the second on the right**

**Ar****e twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.**

**Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.**

**"Br****i****l****l****i****a****nt****,****" said Hermione. "This isn't magic - it's logic - a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."**

**"B****u****t so will we, won't we?" "Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."**

**"****But how do we know which to drink?" **

"You've got Hermione. You'll be fine."

**"Give me a minute."**

**H****ermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.**

**"****G****o****t it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - toward the Stone."**

**Harr****y looked at the tiny bottle.**

**"****T****here****'****s only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."**

"And he's going alone." James sighed. Somehow he had known it would come down to this, but it didn't make it any easier to hear.

**They looked at each other.**

**"****W****hi****c****h one will get you back through the purple flames?" Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.**

**"****Y****o****u drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying- key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."**

"Then why are you going in there?" sighed Lily.

**"B****u****t Harry - what if You-Know-Who's with him?"**

**"****W****el****l - I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. **

**"****I might get lucky again."**

**H****ermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.**

**"Hermione!"**

**"****H****arr****y - you're a great wizard, you know." **

**"I'****m not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.**

**"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!"**

"Well, at least she sorted out her priorities." Gideon said weakly. Fabian forced a laugh, remembering his earlier comment.

**"****Y****o****u drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"**

**"****Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.**

**"****It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously. "No - but it's like ice."**

**"****Q****u****i****ck****, go, before it wears off." **

**"Good luck - take care."**

**"****GO!"**

**He****r****m****ion****e turned and walked straight through the purple fire.**

**H****arry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames.**

**"****Her****e I come," he said, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.**

**I****t was indeed as though ice was flooding his body. He put the bottle down and walked forward; he braced himself, saw the black flames licking his body, but couldn't feel them - for a moment he could see nothing but dark fire - then he was on the other side, in the last chamber.**

**There was already someone there - but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.**

"That's it." Arthur said weakly, taking his youngest son from his wife, as he passed over the book.

* * *

_**Read and Review please! Concrit welcome!**_


	17. The Man With Two Faces

_**Disclaimer is in the first chapter.**_

* * *

Molly steeled herself for what was to come and read...

**CHAPTE****R SEVENTEEN**

**TH****E MAN WITH TWO FACES **

"What's that mean? I'm assuming it doesn't mean someone's a two face bastard."

"Gideon! Watch your language!"

**It was Quirrell.**

"Cough up." Remus said. Sirius handed over the five galleons, muttering to himself about how he shouldn't make bets with werewolves who are too smart for their own good. Remus smirked.

**"You!" gasped Harry.**

**Q****uirr****e****l****l smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.**

**"Me****,****" he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."**

**"****But I thought - Snape -"**

"Me too." Sirius sighed.

"**Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. **

"That's a good description." James and Sirius muttered.

**N****e****x****t to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"**

"He was faking the stutter all the time? Those poor, poor kids who had to listen to that for an entire year." said Dedalus.

**Harr****y couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't. "But Snape tried to kill me!"**

**"****N****o****, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."**

Lily smiled. Her old friend may not like her son, but at least he didn't want him dead.

"**Sn****a****p****e was trying to save me?"**

**"****O****f course," said Quirrell coolly. "\Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really... he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular... and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."**

**Q****uirr****e****l****l snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.**

Everyone gasped. Lily clutched a snoozing Harry closer to her, and James wrapped his arms around both of them.

**"****Y****ou****'****r****e too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."**

**"****Y****o****u let the troll in?"**

"Come on Harry. We know you don't like Snape, but this is staring you in the face." said Remus.

**"****Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls - you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.**

**"****N****o****w****, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."**

"Mirror?"

**I****t was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.**

"Dumbledore's protection. Frank murmured.

**"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back..."**

**A****l****l Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.**

"Good idea. Keep him talking, distract him." growled Moody.

**"****I saw you and Snape in the forest -" he blurted out.**

**"****Ye****s****,****" said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side..."**

**Q****ui****rrel****l came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.**

**"I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?" **

**Harr****y struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He **

**h****a****d to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror. "But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."**

"My fault." James sighed.

**"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. **

"Understatment."

**B****u****t he never wanted you dead."**

"Well, there's that at least. At least we didn't drive him to the point where he wants to murder my son for revenge."

**"****But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing - I thought Snape was threatening you..."**

"Yeah what was that about?" Dorcas asked.

**For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face. "Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions - he is a great wizard and I am weak -"**

**"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.**

Everyone looked fearfully at the book. How could he get inside the castle?

**"****H****e is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... **

"That's the biggest load of bull I've ever heard. There's good and evil..." Fabian said.

"And those too blind to see it, or those who just don't care." Gideon finished.

**Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..."**

Remus paled. If he was right...he didn't want to think about the danger Harry was in.

**Q****ui****rrel****l****'****s voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley -how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.**

"Of course. I'd forgotten that." Sirius and James said. Sirius turned to see if Moony had connected the dots, and noticed his horrified face.

"Moony? Are you alright?" Everyone turned to look at Remus.

Remus stammered, "I thi... I think Harry's in a lot more danger than we realised."

"What do you mean?" James asked worriedly, running a hand through his baby's hair, as Lily held him tighter.

"The Man with Two Faces."

Everyone blanched, hoping he was wrong.

**Quirrell cursed under his breath.**

**"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"**

"Yeah. Do that!" Bill said. At everyone's curious looks, he elaborated, "I'm guessing Dumbledore would have made it more complicated than that, so if he breaks the mirror, he loses the only way to get it." Everyone looked very impressed at his reasoning.

**Harry's mind was racing.**

**W****h****a****t I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myseff finding it - which means I'll see where it's hidden! **

"That's good logic." Moody growled, approvingly.

**B****u****t how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up**

**t****o****?**

"Good point." Edgar frowned.

**H****e tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"**

"No." everyone whispered.

**And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself**

**"Use the boy... Use the boy..." Quirrell rounded on Harry. "Yes - Potter - come here."**

**H****e clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.**

**"Co****m****e here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."**

**Harr****y walked toward him.**

**I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.**

"Won't work. Voldemort's an amazing Legilimens." Frank sighed.

**Q****uirr****e****l****l moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.**

**H****e saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket - and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow - incredibly - he'd gotten the Stone.**

"What? How's that work?" Charlie asked the question on everybody's mind. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. That was a brilliant idea, if he did say so himself.

**"****W****el****l****?****" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?" Harry screwed up his courage.**

**"****I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I - I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."**

"That's believable." James said.

"Not as believable as what he originally saw in the mirror." Sirius pointed out.

"Yeah, but Quirrell doesn't understand how the mirror works, though."

"Maybe, but..."

"Fascinating as all this conjecture is, it really wouldn't matter, because Voldemort will know he's lying." Remus said, ending the debate.

**Quirrell cursed again.**

**"****G****e****t out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Philosopher's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?**

"No!" James cried.

"You don't want him out of there?" Emmaline asked, incredulous.

"If he runs now, Quirrell will guess he's got the Stone and attack him."

**B****u****t he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.**

**"He lies... He lies..."**

**"****Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"**

**T****h****e high voice spoke again.**

**"Let me speak to him... face-to-face..." **

"No." murmured Lily.

**"Ma****s****ter****, you are not strong enough!"**

"Wow, the man's got guts to say that to Voldemort." Sirius said.

**"****I have strength enough... for this..."**

**H****arry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.**

**H****arry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.**

Everybodycringed.

**"Harry Potter..." it whispered.**

**Harr****y tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.**

**"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor ... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... why don't you give **

**m****e that Stone in your pocket?"**

**S****o he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.**

**"****D****on****'****t be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."**

"LIAR!" everyone yelled at the book.

"We would never beg for mercy!" James spat.

**"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.**

**Q****ui****rrel****l was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.**

"That's not good." Remus muttered. He had no desire to find out why he was smiling.

**"H****o****w touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... **

"Of course he did." Sirius said, Remus nodding profusely alongside. James smiled at them weakly.

**b****u****t your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you... **

"Of course I was." Lily mumbled into Harry's hair. But James frowned. What did he mean 'she needn't have died.' Lily's a muggleborn. What's that about?

**N****o****w give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."**

"NEVER!"

**H****arry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. **

"Let go of him!" James and Lily cried.

**At**** once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him.**

"What? Why? He was completely helpless." Sturgis frowned.

"I'm just thankful that he did."

**T****h****e pain in his head lessened - he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before his eyes.**

"What's that about?" asked Arthur, bewildered.

**"****Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet' landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck - Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.**

"What is going on?!" asked Marlene.

**"Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!"**

**A****n****d Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.**

**"****T****h****e****n kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.**

"No!" Lily yelled.

"Lily, breathe!" Sirius ordered. "There are six more books after this one. It' obvious he gets out of this, now calm down." She did as he said, and everyone took a deep breath, knowing he was right. Remus looked flabbergasted. He knew Sirius wasn't unintelligent, but could not see how he had calmed her down. Using logic. Again. It was a thing unheard of.

**Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face -**

**"****AAAARGH!"**

**Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain - his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.**

"Come on Harry! You can do it!" Bill, Charlie and Percy cried.

**Harr****y jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off - the pain in Harry's head was building - he couldn't see - he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"**

**H****e felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down ... down... down...**

"What's happening to him?" Lily fretted.

**S****o****m****ething gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.**

"Er- what?"

**H****e blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.**

"What's going on?"

**H****e blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.**

Everyone let out a breath of relief. He was safe.

**"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore. **

**Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick -"**

**"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."**

**"Then who does? Sir, I -"**

**"****H****arr****y****, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out. **

"I'd like to see that." the twins said.

"We have seen that. It was hilarious." laughed the Marauders.

**H****arry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next **

**t****o him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.**

**"****T****o****k****e****n****s from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. **

Molly pursed her lips, while everyone, besides McGonagall and Moody, laughed at the twins antics.

**N****o doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."**

"Good." said Molly.

**"****H****o****w long have I been in here?"**

**"****T****hre****e days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."**

The Weasleys and Prewetts let out a breath they didn't realise they were holding. Ron was fine.

**"B****u****t sir, the Stone..."**

"Persistent isn't he." Sirius chuckled.

**I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say." **

**"****Y****o****u got there? You got Hermione's owl?"**

**"****W****e must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."**

**"I****t was you."**

**"****I feared I might be too late." **

**"****Y****o****u nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer -" **

**"****N****o****t the Stone, boy, you - the effort involved nearly killed you. **

James and Lily shivered.

**F****o****r one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."**

**"****D****e****s****tro****y****e****d****?****" said Harry blankly. "But your friend - Nicolas Flamel -"**

**"****O****h****, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."**

**"****But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"**

**"****T****he****y have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."**

**Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.**

**"****T****o one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.**

**"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking... sir - even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know- Who -"**

**"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."**

People stared around the room at the people who still refused to say the name.

**"****Ye****s****, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"**

**"****N****o****, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time - and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."**

"Here's hoping." the twins said.

**H****arry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me... things I want to know the truth about..."**

**"****T****h****e truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."**

"Which means there are certain things you don't want him to know." James frowned.

**"****W****e****ll****..****. Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"**

"Good question." Remus nodded.

**D****u****m****bled****o****r****e sighed very deeply this time.**

**"****A****l****a****s****, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day... put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... when you are ready, you will know."**

Everyone frowned at Dumbledore, thinking the exact same thing. "Why does he want to kill Harry, and why does Dumbledore think he shouldn't know. Surely he has a right to know"

Dumbledore was frowning himself, thinking that it was about the prophecy, and he wouldn't want to place that sort of burden on an eleven year old boy.

**A****n****d Harry knew it would be no good to argue. "But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"**

**"****Y****o****u****r mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."**

"Lils. You saved him." James murmured. Lily smiled, glad that even though she was gone, she was still able to protect her baby.

**D****u****m****bled****o****r****e now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak - do you know who sent it to me?"**

James leaned forward, wanting to know who he left his cloak with.

**"****A****h - your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it."**

"Why would I leave that with you? I mean, no offense sir, it's not that I don't trust you, but like I said, it's an old family heirloom, it's not supposed to go to anyone outside the family. Besides, you said it yourself, you don't need a cloak to become invisible."

**D****u****m****bl****edore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."**

**"No I didn't. Occasionally, yes, but it was mainly used for driving McGonagall insane with all our pranks." McGonagall glared at the Marauders, who just stared back innocently.**

**"A****n****d there's something else..." **

**"Fire away."**

**"Quirrell said Snape -"**

**"Professor Snape, Harry." **

**"Yes, him - Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"**

"Yup."

**"****W****e****ll****, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."**

**"****W****ha****t****?****"**

**"****H****e saved his life." **

"What?!"

"When was that?" Frank asked. James looked at Sirius and Remus. Remus was looking darkly at the book, as though daring it to explain. Sirius was shuffling uncomfortably in his seat, thoroughly ashamed of himself.

Everyone was looking curiously at them.

After a few moments, James answered, "Sorry. We swore never to mention it again. All of us. Snape included. Dumbledore made us swear." Everyone looked curiously at Dumbledore, but let it go.

**"****W****ha****t****?****"**

**"Yes..." said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt... I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace..."**

"Actually, I don't think it had much to do with that. I think it has more to do with Lily." James muttered.

**H****arry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he stopped.**

"Good idea."

**"And sir, there's one more thing..." **

**"****J****u****s****t the one?"**

**"****H****o****w did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"**

"Good question. We were all wondering that." said Alice.

**"****A****h****, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. **

"Modest aren't you, Sir?" James asked. Albus chuckled.

**Yo****u see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. **

"Okay, I'll admit, that is pretty brilliant." Sirius laughed.

**M****y brain surprises even me sometimes... Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, **

"Yeah, those are gross." Remus shuddered.

**and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them - but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"**

"Aren't those earwax flavour?" asked Benji.

**H****e smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"**

Everyone laughed.

**Mada****m Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict. **

**"****J****u****s****t five minutes," Harry pleaded.**

**"****A****b****so****l****u****t****e****l****y not."**

"Give it up Harry." Remus sighed, remembering all the times he had been in the Hospital Wing, bored out of his mind, because she wouldn't allow his friends in.

**"Y****o****u let Professor Dumbledore in..."**

**"****W****e****ll****, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."**

**"****I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..."**

**"****O****h****, very well," she said. "But five minutes only." **

Everyone looked flabbergasted. "She caved." the twins murmured, awestruck.

**A****n****d she let Ron and Hermione in.**

**"Harry!"**

**H****ermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.**

**"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to - Dumbledore was so worried-"**

**"****T****h****e whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?" It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. **

"Those are always the best stories." Sirius smiled.

**H****arry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. **

**"S****o the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?" **

**"****T****h****a****t****'s what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that - what was it? - 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.**

**"****I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.**

Everyone laughed.

**"S****o what happened to you two?" said Harry.**

**"****W****ell****, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall - he already knew - he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the **

**t****h****i****r****d floor."**

**"****D****'****y****o****u think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"**

Lily glared at him, clearly saying 'You better not have!' Dumbledore inched back a little. Dark lords he could face, but Lily Potter in a fury could be downright terrifying.

**"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did - I mean to say that's terrible - you could have been killed."**

"Exactly." Lily growled.

**"****N****o****, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."**

James turned to Lily and said, "I think that's right, love. Clearly there's a reason why Voldemort went after Harry, and, as much as I hate it, I expect Harry will come across him again. It's better that he first fights him when he's weak like that, so he won't be as afraid and he'll be ready if, Merlin forbid, he has to face him when he's at full strength again.

**"****Y****eah****, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course - you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you - but the food'll be good."**

The Gryffindors groaned at the Quidditch loss, and everyone groaned at the thought of Slytherin winning the House Cup.

**A****t that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.**

**"****Y****ou****'****v****e had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly. **

**After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.**

**I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes. I can, can't I?"**

**"****Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. **

"They are dangerous if you're in a feast with these two idiots." Remus chuckled, gesturing to James and Sirius, who feigned a look of complete innocence. Nobody bought it. Everyone remembered or had heard of the Opening Feast in their fourth year.

**"****An****d you have another visitor."**

**"Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?"**

**H****agrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears.**

"Oh, you must be feeling guilty." Emmaline said.

**"It****'****s - all - my - ruddy - fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only**

**t****h****i****n****g he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"**

"That's too harsh Hagrid." Remus said, looking over at Hagrid, who looked like he agreed with this statement. "Everyone knows that Hogwarts isn't Hogwarts without you." Everyone murmured in agreement, and Hagrid beamed at them.

**"****H****ag****r****i****d****!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."**

**"****Ye****h could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!" **

**"****VOLDE****M****O****R****T****!****" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads..."**

**Ha****g****rid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."**

**"It****'****s not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. "Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead - anyway, got yeh this..."**

**I****t seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.**

"That's a wonderful present, Hagrid." Lily beamed at him, whilst James nodded in agreement. Hagrid turned scarlet.

**"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos... knew yeh didn' have any... d'yeh like it?"**

**H****arry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.**

**H****arry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.**

Everyone groaned.

**W****h****en Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were**

**st****an****d****in****g up to look at him.**

"Don't they have anything better to do?" Lily huffed.

**F****o****r****t****u****n****a****t****e****l****y****, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away. "Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...**

"See, now that was our theory, yet teachers didn't accept that as an excuse at the start of the year when something went disastrously wrong." Sirius said.

"That would be because, Mr. Black, whatever else you may be, yourself, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Lupin were some of the brightest and most skilled students I have seen, and therefore, you can see why I would be unwilling to accept you conjuring a menagerie of animals, and having them appear in random classrooms around the school for a week, simply because you forgot how to do simple switching spells." McGonagall said sternly. The Marauders chuckled, remembering their fifth year proudly.

**"****N****o****w****, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."**

"That's dreadful." said Alice.

**A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.**

"I would imagine so." Sirius drawled.

**"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."**

**T****h****e room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.**

**"****A****h****em," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...**

**"First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."**

**Ro****n went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn. "...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

Everyone cheered.

"You know, when he's older, you should get Ron to play you Professor." Sirius told McGonagall. McGonagall just gestured for Molly to keep reading, while thinking to herself 'That would be an interesting game...'

**Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"**

"Sounds like you're really proud of him, Perce." Fabian smiled at Percy.

**A****t last there was silence again.**

**"Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the**

**face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."**

**Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves - they were a hundred points up. **

**"****Th****i****r****d - to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."**

"They're tied with Slytherin!" Charlie said cheerfully.

**T****h****e din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup - if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.**

"I think he's planning something." Remus smiled.

**D****u****m****bled****o****r****e raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.**

**"****T****her****e are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."**

Everyone cheered. Frank and Alice beamed at Dumbledore, while Remus said, That's good. Neville deserved those points."

**So****m****eone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.**

**"Which means, Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."**

**H****e clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.**

"So, not normal at all." Arthur laughed.

**I****t was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... he would **

**never, ever forget tonight.**

**Harr****y had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.**

"Shame that." Sirius sighed.

**And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly);**

"I always did too." The Marauders and the Prewett twins sighed.

**Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.**

**I****t took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.**

"That would be hilarious to see their faces though." James chuckled.

"True. Unfortunately, it would have the side effect of alerting them to the existence of our world." Remus replied.

**"****Y****o****u must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you - I'll send you an owl."**

**"****T****h****a****n****k****s****,****" said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:**

**"****Bye, Harry!" "See you, Potter!"**

**"****Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.**

**"****N****o****t where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.**

**H****e, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"**

"Who wants to bet she's not pointing at Ron?" Gideon chuckled.

248

**I****t was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.**

**"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see**

Everyone laughed.

**"****Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them. "Busy year?" she said.**

**"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."**

Lily beamed at her son's manners, while Molly blushed.

**"****O****h****, it was nothing, dear." **

**"Ready, are you?"**

**I****t was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.**

**"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.**

"He won't like that."

**"****In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.**

"Git."

Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione. "See you over the summer, then."

**"****H****o****p****e you have - er - a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.**

"I know. It surprises me how unpleasant he can be whenever I see him." Lily said, frowning.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

"Brilliant Harry!" the pranksters and the children cheered.

"That's the end of the book." Molly said, putting the book down on the table.

"I know it has only been a short while since lunch, but would anyone like to take a break to think about everything we have now heard." Dumbledore asked the room.

"I'd like a chance to put Harry down for a nap." said Lily, gesturing to her sleeping son in her arms. The other parents voiced their agreements.

"Very well. We shall meet here in one hour. I suggest everyone uses the chance to stretch their legs."

Everyone got up and left the room.

* * *

_**Read and Review please! Concrit welcome! It makes me a better writer.**_


	18. Authors Note

Hey! Thanks for everyone's responses :D

Just been starting back at college, so been crazy busy, but Chamber of Secrets is now up!

Enjoy :)


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